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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: press · chip · cue · bound · chair · content · vault · net

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. cue — a signal
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. content — the amount
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bound — tied together
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — for catching
  13. cue — a hint
  14. vault — a safe
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bound — obliged
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bound — certain
  21. press — to push
  22. chip — to eat
  23. cue — for pool
  24. content — happy

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