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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: straw · cue · chip · content · pass · fan

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pass — a permit
  6. chip — to eat
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. content — happy
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. chip — for betting
  18. content — the amount

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