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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cue — a signal
  5. game — wild animals
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. board — a committee
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. cue — for pool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. game — a match
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — the amount
  20. cue — a hint
  21. content — happy
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. game — a kind of play

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