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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. chip — for betting
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. cue — a signal
  5. charge — in control
  6. root — of a word
  7. hand — help
  8. land — a country
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. root — the cause
  12. hand — in cards
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. root — of a plant
  16. land — ground
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cue — a hint
  20. charge — electricity
  21. land — to come down
  22. chip — to eat
  23. charge — a price
  24. bat — the animal

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