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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 116 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: hand · cue · clip · pit · chip · rock · drill · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — a video
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cue — for pool
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. pit — a hole
  9. cue — a signal
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. drill — the tool
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rock — music
  14. clip — to cut
  15. drill — a practice
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. drill — army training
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. chip — for betting
  20. stand — to bear
  21. hand — in cards
  22. pit — in a race
  23. hand — help
  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