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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. suit — in cards
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rush — hurry
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rule — a law
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. cap — of ice
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rule — government
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. cue — a hint
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. cap — a hat

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