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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · club · pitch · chair · cue · cap

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. club — for dancing
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. club — for golf
  6. cue — for pool
  7. snap — to click
  8. chair — a leader
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cap — a hat
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. cap — of ice
  17. club — a group
  18. cue — a hint

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