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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rule — government
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — to get on
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spring — of water
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rule — a law
  15. cue — for pool
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. board — a committee
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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