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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 120 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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pop — music
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pop — to visit
  6. game — wild animals
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pop — soda
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. game — a match
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chair — a leader
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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