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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. net — after costs
  3. chip — to eat
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bank — of a river
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mug — a cup
  8. fine — all right
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. cue — for pool
  11. game — a match
  12. mug — to rob
  13. net — for catching
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mug — a face
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. chip — for betting
  19. net — in sport
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bank — for money
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bank — for money
  24. cue — a hint

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