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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bat — the animal
  5. lean — thin
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. chip — for betting
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mate — to breed
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. suit — in cards
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mate — a partner
  19. kick — in football
  20. suit — clothes
  21. chip — to eat
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. cue — for pool
  24. suit — to fit

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