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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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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: deal · mug · chip · last · wind · pitch · racket · cue

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. last — finally
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mug — to rob
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. deal — to handle
  10. last — to go on
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mug — a face
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wind — moving air
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. last — final
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. chip — to eat
  24. cue — for pool

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