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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. cue — a hint
  3. spell — magic
  4. chip — for betting
  5. last — to go on
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rest — a break
  9. cue — a signal
  10. spell — letters
  11. chip — to eat
  12. spell — a short time
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bulb — for light
  15. last — finally
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. board — a committee
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. scale — in music
  22. last — final
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — to get on

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