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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rest — a break
  6. cue — for pool
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. rest — what's left
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. chip — for betting
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. scale — size or range
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. capital — money
  15. cue — a hint
  16. capital — a city
  17. swing — music
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rest — what's left
  21. scale — in music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. cue — a signal
  24. swing — to play on

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