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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rest — a break
  5. chip — for betting
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ball — a great time
  8. firm — decided
  9. file — a line of people
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cue — for pool
  12. firm — steady
  13. ball — a dance
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a document
  16. chip — to eat
  17. firm — a company
  18. charge — a price
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fine — all right
  22. charge — in control
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. cue — a signal

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