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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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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: cue · content · chip · stand · mate · pop · snap · object

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. mate — a friend
  3. content — the amount
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pop — soda
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. content — happy
  13. mate — a partner
  14. cue — a hint
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. snap — to click
  17. pop — music
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mate — to breed
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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