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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. present — a gift
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cue — a signal
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. chip — to eat
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cue — a hint
  13. key — in music
  14. stock — goods
  15. ball — a great time
  16. chip — for betting
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. present — there
  20. saw — the tool
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. stock — shares
  23. present — the time now
  24. key — the most important part

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