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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lean · racket · cue · jam · deal · pop · ball · chip

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. pop — music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chip — for betting
  8. lean — thin
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. chip — to eat
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pop — soda
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. ball — a great time
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. cue — for pool
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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