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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. chip — to eat
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. stock — goods
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cue — a hint
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. land — a country
  13. game — wild animals
  14. net — in sport
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stock — shares
  17. land — ground
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. game — a match
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. net — for catching
  23. land — to come down
  24. net — after costs

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