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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · foot · hand · chip · charge · mate · pitcher · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. chip — for betting
  3. hand — help
  4. cue — a hint
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. rule — a law
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. charge — in control
  10. foot — a measure
  11. mate — to breed
  12. hand — in cards
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mate — a friend
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. cue — for pool
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. rule — government
  24. mate — a partner

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