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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 124 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chip — for betting
  5. cue — a signal
  6. band — a music group
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. firm — a company
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. rash — hasty
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rash — a series
  15. firm — steady
  16. band — a ring
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. firm — decided
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. fork — in a road
  22. cue — a hint
  23. season — in sport
  24. chip — in a computer

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