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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wake · chip · cue · bass · bear · firm · leaves · object

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. firm — a company
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. firm — steady
  14. object — an aim
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cue — a hint
  19. object — a thing
  20. firm — decided
  21. bear — the animal
  22. object — to protest
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bass — low music

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