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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. net — for catching
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. net — after costs
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mark — a trace
  12. chip — for betting
  13. roll — a list
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. cue — a hint
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. cell — a phone
  21. net — in sport
  22. bore — to drill
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — in a computer

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