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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: chip · wake · stand · fan · straw · content · key · cue

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. content — happy
  9. chip — for betting
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. content — the amount
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. cue — a signal
  19. key — the most important part
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cue — a hint
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. stand — to bear
  24. key — in music

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