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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. press — to push
  5. cue — a signal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. chip — for betting
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. chip — to eat
  10. ball — a great time
  11. wind — moving air
  12. press — newspapers
  13. wind — moving air
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. press — a publisher
  19. cue — for pool
  20. suit — in cards
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. cue — a hint
  23. drill — army training
  24. pound — for dogs

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