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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 120 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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. cue — a hint
  3. club — for golf
  4. court — of a king
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. content — the amount
  9. chip — to eat
  10. board — a committee
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of law
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. club — for dancing
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. club — a group

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