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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: cue · chip · pop · craft · pit · pound · face · rule

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. rule — government
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pop — soda
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pit — a hole
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. rule — a law
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pit — in a race
  22. face — to confront
  23. craft — boats
  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