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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: fine · roll · last · cabinet · racket · cue · stock · chip

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cue — a signal
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cue — for pool
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. roll — a list
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. last — final
  12. stock — shares
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cue — a hint
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fine — high quality
  18. last — to go on
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. last — finally
  22. roll — a cake
  23. stock — goods
  24. chip — to eat

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