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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stand — to bear
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. land — to come down
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cue — a hint
  11. land — ground
  12. plane — a tool
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. scale — size or range
  20. land — a country
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. plane — an aircraft

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