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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
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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: swing · chip · bass · ground · content · lie · nail · cue

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bass — the fish
  3. swing — to play on
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bass — low music
  7. lie — to recline
  8. swing — music
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. swing — in golf
  12. ground — a position
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. ground — crushed
  15. content — happy
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ground — the earth
  18. content — the amount
  19. chip — to eat
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cue — for pool
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cue — a hint

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