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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: game · bass · firm · mouse · chip · bound · net · cue

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. firm — a company
  5. bound — tied together
  6. chip — for betting
  7. cue — for pool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. net — for catching
  11. bass — the fish
  12. firm — steady
  13. cue — a hint
  14. firm — decided
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bound — obliged
  18. game — a match
  19. net — in sport
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bass — low music
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bound — certain
  24. net — after costs

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