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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fall — to drop
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. track — to keep track
  8. hand — in cards
  9. track — a path
  10. degree — an amount
  11. track — a song
  12. degree — temperature
  13. hand — help
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. fall — the season
  17. cue — for pool
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rest — a break
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. degree — from a university
  23. rest — what's left
  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