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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 124 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. hand — in cards
  3. chip — for betting
  4. can — a tin
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. row — a line
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. hand — help
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. cue — for pool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. cue — a hint
  19. chip — to eat
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cue — a signal
  24. row — to paddle

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