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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. cue — for pool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. scale — in music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. scale — size or range
  8. cue — a signal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. cue — a hint
  11. ground — a position
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wound — an injury
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. chip — to eat
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. ground — crushed
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. scale — for weighing

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