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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chip — for betting
  4. land — ground
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bound — obliged
  9. fine — all right
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bound — tied together
  18. fine — high quality
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bound — certain
  21. land — to come down
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. land — a country

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