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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: bat · nail · stand · chip · rush · cue · face · object

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  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. object — to protest
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. object — a thing
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bat — the animal
  13. object — an aim
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. face — to point toward
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rush — hurry
  21. face — part of the head
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. face — to confront
  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