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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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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: present · hand · cue · arm · pit · field · pass · racket

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hand — help
  4. field — a subject
  5. pass — a permit
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. present — the time now
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. hand — in cards
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. field — farmland
  18. present — a gift
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. present — there
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. field — for sport
  24. 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