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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. cue — a hint
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. club — for dancing
  5. chip — for betting
  6. ball — a great time
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — a group
  9. bore — to tire
  10. chair — a leader
  11. cue — a signal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pit — in a race
  16. chip — to eat
  17. ball — a dance
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. cue — for pool

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