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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. key — in music
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. chip — to eat
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bound — certain
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cue — a hint
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. cue — for pool
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wake — a trail

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