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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: rock · season · deal · face · pitcher · rest · chip · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. rest — what's left
  6. chip — to eat
  7. face — part of the head
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. face — to point toward
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cue — a signal
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rock — a stone
  17. season — of the year
  18. deal — to handle
  19. season — in sport
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rest — a break
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. face — to confront

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