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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. snap — to click
  3. land — a country
  4. suit — to fit
  5. track — a song
  6. chip — for betting
  7. land — to come down
  8. bass — low music
  9. track — a path
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. land — ground
  12. cue — for pool
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. suit — clothes
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cue — a hint
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bass — the fish
  22. chip — to eat
  23. rest — a break
  24. suit — in cards

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