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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: racket · present · hide · chip · pass · ball · cue · rock

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pass — a permit
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rock — music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rock — a stone
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cue — a signal
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cue — for pool
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. chip — for betting
  23. present — there
  24. racket — for tennis

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