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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 120 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: object · chip · cue · key · wave · fall · mug · court

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mug — to rob
  4. court — of a king
  5. fall — the season
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mug — a face
  8. object — a thing
  9. cue — a hint
  10. object — an aim
  11. mug — a cup
  12. key — in music
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of law
  16. chip — for betting
  17. object — to protest
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fall — to drop
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fall — to drop

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