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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: pound · chip · ball · ground · patient · shower · cue · key

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ground — the earth
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. key — in music
  8. ball — a dance
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ground — crushed
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ground — a position
  21. pound — a weight
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cue — a signal
  24. shower — rain

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