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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. snap — to click
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ball — a dance
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. track — a path
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. press — to push
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. track — a song
  13. press — newspapers
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. chip — to eat
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ball — a great time
  21. press — a publisher
  22. cue — a signal
  23. track — to keep track
  24. chip — for betting

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