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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 116 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cue — a hint
  4. kid — child
  5. cue — for pool
  6. kid — to tease
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. content — the amount
  10. chip — for betting
  11. track — a path
  12. fine — all right
  13. mug — a face
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. track — to keep track
  16. mug — a cup
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. mug — to rob
  20. content — happy
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. chip — to eat
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. track — a song

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