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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. land — ground
  3. cue — for pool
  4. land — a country
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pound — a weight
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. rash — a series
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. firm — steady
  15. court — of a king
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. foot — a measure
  19. firm — a company
  20. court — for sport
  21. cue — a signal
  22. firm — decided
  23. land — to come down
  24. court — of law

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