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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: stand · pit · cue · chip · wound · rush · rest · court

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  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. stand — to bear
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pit — in a race
  5. cue — a signal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. court — of a king
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. court — of law
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. chip — for betting
  14. court — for sport
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rest — a break
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wound — an injury
  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