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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. fine — all right
  4. root — the cause
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bound — certain
  12. game — a match
  13. chip — for betting
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bound — tied together
  18. game — wild animals
  19. root — of a plant
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. root — of a word
  23. rest — a break
  24. cue — a hint

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