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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. branch — a division
  3. cap — a hat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. wind — moving air
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cap — of ice
  9. chip — to eat
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cue — a signal
  15. key — in music
  16. wind — moving air
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ball — a dance
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stand — to bear
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wind — to turn a key

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