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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. key — in music
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. cue — a hint
  11. suit — to fit
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. band — a ring
  14. suit — clothes
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cue — for pool
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bulb — for light
  20. band — a music group
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bulb — for light

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