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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: lie · staff · cue · tube · prune · pitch · swing · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. swing — in golf
  3. lie — to recline
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. tube — the underground
  6. swing — music
  7. tube — a container
  8. staff — employees
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cue — a hint
  12. prune — to trim
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. staff — employees
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pitch — completely
  18. swing — to play on
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — for pool
  21. staff — a stick
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. lie — an untruth

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