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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: chip · cue · spell · straw · plane · content · bulb · swing

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. content — happy
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — letters
  14. swing — music
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. swing — in golf
  18. cue — a hint
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. content — the amount
  22. bulb — for light
  23. plane — in geometry
  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