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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. mate — a partner
  6. rock — music
  7. court — for sport
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. court — of a king
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. hand — in cards
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rock — a stone
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mate — a friend
  22. court — of law
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. cue — a signal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com