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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. cue — for pool
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. press — to push
  6. squash — to crush
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. scale — size or range
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pit — in a race
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. squash — the sport
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pit — a hole
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. press — newspapers
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. cue — a hint
  24. scale — in music

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