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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. cue — a signal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. lean — thin
  17. shower — rain
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mug — to rob
  24. saw — the tool

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