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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fine — all right
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. fine — high quality
  8. content — the amount
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bore — to drill
  11. content — happy
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. chip — to eat
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. cue — for pool
  24. fine — a penalty

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