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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: suit · chip · court · cue · rest · pitcher · dip · ground

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. court — of law
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ground — crushed
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ground — the earth
  13. suit — clothes
  14. chip — to eat
  15. dip — to sink
  16. court — of a king
  17. cue — a signal
  18. court — for sport
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rest — a break
  23. ground — a position
  24. chip — for betting

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