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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bear — the animal
  3. last — finally
  4. mate — a friend
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. last — to go on
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mate — to breed
  9. last — final
  10. cue — a hint
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. drill — army training
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. can — a tin
  17. drill — the tool
  18. cue — for pool
  19. march — music
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bear — the animal
  22. drill — a practice
  23. cue — a signal
  24. chip — for betting

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