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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: rush · net · rest · last · bound · cue · chip · snap

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. net — after costs
  4. chip — to eat
  5. last — to go on
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. last — final
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bound — certain
  10. chip — for betting
  11. net — for catching
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rest — what's left
  15. snap — to click
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rush — hurry
  19. net — in sport
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cue — a signal
  22. last — finally
  23. rest — a break
  24. bound — obliged

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