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

Word bank: rest · racket · rock · cue · ball · face · stick · chip

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — a stone
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ball — a dance
  6. chip — for betting
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. face — to point toward
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to confront
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cue — a signal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. ball — a great time
  24. racket — a loud noise

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