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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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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: racket · cue · fall · present · swing · fine · chip · mark

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. swing — music
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fall — to drop
  6. chip — for betting
  7. cue — a hint
  8. swing — to play on
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. swing — in golf
  12. present — there
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. present — a gift
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cue — for pool
  19. fine — all right
  20. present — the time now
  21. fall — the season
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fall — to drop
  24. racket — for tennis

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