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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 120 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: chip · charge · racket · pass · cue · wound · lean · bat

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. charge — a price
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. lean — thin
  6. charge — in control
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. wound — an injury
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bat — the animal
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. charge — electricity
  15. chip — for betting
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. cue — a hint
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lean — to bend
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bat — in an idiom

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