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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. tube — a container
  3. cue — a hint
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. lean — thin
  8. cue — for pool
  9. chip — to eat
  10. tube — the underground
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. hand — help
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hand — in cards
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cue — a signal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. rush — hurry
  23. chip — for betting
  24. suit — in cards

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