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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: dip · wave · cue · fork · spell · straw · chip · rock

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. spell — a short time
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. cue — a signal
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cue — for pool
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. cue — a hint
  14. spell — letters
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. rock — a stone
  18. spell — magic
  19. rock — music
  20. chip — to eat
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fork — in a road
  24. dip — a sauce

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