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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: pitcher · cue · deal · bear · mate · chip · calf · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. cue — for pool
  5. content — the amount
  6. cue — a hint
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. content — happy
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cue — a signal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. calf — of the leg

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