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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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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: ground · racket · bound · chip · bore · cue · stand · staff

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bound — obliged
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. cue — a signal
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. ground — a position
  9. stand — to bear
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bound — certain
  14. staff — a stick
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bound — tied together
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. staff — employees
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. staff — employees
  23. chip — for betting
  24. racket — for tennis

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