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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. cue — a hint
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. branch — a division
  9. chip — to eat
  10. cue — a signal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — in music
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pass — a permit
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. cue — for pool
  19. key — the most important part
  20. chip — for betting
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. scale — in music
  24. pass — to succeed

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