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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. track — a song
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — money
  15. content — happy
  16. cue — a hint
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. content — the amount
  20. cue — a signal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. track — to keep track
  23. deal — to handle
  24. track — a path

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