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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cue — a hint
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cue — a signal
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. charge — in control
  13. cue — for pool
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. pitch — completely
  16. roll — a list
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chip — for betting
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. roll — a cake
  24. charge — a price

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