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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cap — a hat
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. row — to paddle
  5. cap — a lid
  6. content — the amount
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. cue — a signal
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. cue — a hint
  18. row — a line
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. rest — a break
  24. content — happy

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