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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 · object · cue · firm · spring · mouse · wave · wake

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. firm — a company
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. cue — for pool
  8. wake — a trail
  9. spring — a coil
  10. object — to protest
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — a thing
  15. firm — decided
  16. spring — of water
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — a signal
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. spring — the season

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