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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: bear · cue · firm · chip · lash · cap · lean · bound

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bound — certain
  9. firm — a company
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lean — to bend
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cue — a signal
  17. chip — to eat
  18. lean — thin
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bound — obliged
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bear — the animal

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