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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wound — an injury
  4. squash — to crush
  5. wound — an injury
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. season — of the year
  9. squash — the sport
  10. date — the fruit
  11. chip — for betting
  12. stock — goods
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. craft — boats
  19. season — in sport
  20. stock — shares
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. season — to add flavour

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