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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cue — a signal
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. tube — a container
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. chip — to eat
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pitch — completely
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — a cake
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cue — a hint
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cue — for pool
  24. tube — the underground

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