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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 120 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. root — the cause
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rash — a series
  9. tube — a container
  10. rash — hasty
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. root — of a word
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. tube — the underground
  16. press — to push
  17. cue — a signal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. cue — a hint
  21. press — a publisher
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. press — newspapers
  24. root — of a plant

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