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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. march — the month
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. march — the month
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mug — a face
  16. march — music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cue — a signal
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — letters
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. spell — magic

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