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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. key — in music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. stock — goods
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stock — shares
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. cue — for pool
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. chip — for betting
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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