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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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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. chip — to eat
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pop — to visit
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. track — a song
  7. cue — for pool
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. march — the month
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. cue — a signal
  17. march — the month
  18. track — to keep track
  19. march — music
  20. pop — music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. track — a path
  24. pop — soda

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