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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cue — a hint
  6. chip — for betting
  7. content — happy
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rest — what's left
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. content — the amount
  18. rest — a break
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pitch — completely
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. racket — a loud noise

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