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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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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: cue · chip · pit · charge · can · race · saw · prune

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pit — in a race
  5. cue — a hint
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pit — a hole
  11. charge — a price
  12. chip — for betting
  13. cue — a signal
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cue — for pool
  18. can — a tin
  19. chip — to eat
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. charge — in control

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