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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · saw · stock · chest · wake · cue · suit · chip

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. chip — for betting
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cue — a signal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chest — a box
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wake — a trail
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. stock — goods
  17. chest — of your body
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. stock — shares
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. cue — a hint
  24. straw — dry grass

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