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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 116 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: bark · ball · bay · chip · patient · row · bowl · cue

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. row — to paddle
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. row — a line
  6. cue — a hint
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. chip — for betting
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bark — to shout
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — for pool

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