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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ground — the earth
  3. cue — a hint
  4. board — a committee
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. firm — decided
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. firm — a company
  12. chip — to eat
  13. firm — steady
  14. ground — crushed
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ground — a position
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. board — to get on
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. date — the fruit
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cue — for pool

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