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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: chip · season · scale · cabinet · kid · stand · prune · cue

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. kid — to tease
  3. chip — to eat
  4. season — in sport
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. chip — for betting
  8. season — of the year
  9. kid — child
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cue — for pool
  16. scale — size or range
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. scale — in music
  21. cue — a hint
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. prune — to trim

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