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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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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: racket · rash · saw · chip · pop · pit · chair · cue

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chair — a leader
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. saw — the tool
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pop — soda
  9. rash — a series
  10. chip — to eat
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pop — to visit
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pop — music
  18. rash — hasty
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pit — in a race
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. pit — a hole

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