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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 116 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: club · ground · chip · calf · cue · key · wake · snap

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. club — for dancing
  7. chip — for betting
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. club — for golf
  10. wake — a trail
  11. key — for a lock
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. snap — to click
  14. club — a group
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. key — in music
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. ground — the earth
  20. cue — a hint
  21. chip — to eat
  22. ground — a position
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. key — the most important part

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