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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: press · chip · cue · kick · stock · patient

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — shares
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cue — a signal
  8. press — a publisher
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. kick — in football
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. press — to push
  14. chip — for betting
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. press — newspapers
  18. kick — a thrill

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