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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. chip — for betting
  4. suit — in cards
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rock — a stone
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cold — an illness
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cue — a hint
  14. rock — music
  15. mug — a face
  16. chip — to eat
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. mug — to rob
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — a weight
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mug — a cup

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