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

Word bank: pound · rock · wake · bulb · rule · cue · net · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cue — for pool
  4. net — for catching
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rock — music
  8. rule — government
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. net — after costs
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rule — a law
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bulb — for light
  23. net — in sport
  24. cue — a signal

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