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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. squash — the sport
  4. pop — music
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. rock — music
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rock — a stone
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pop — to visit
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fall — the season
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. cue — for pool
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. pop — soda
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. dip — to sink

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