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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. 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. staff — employees
  2. cue — a hint
  3. present — there
  4. staff — employees
  5. present — a gift
  6. club — a group
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. club — for dancing
  12. fork — in a road
  13. club — for golf
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. present — the time now
  16. staff — a stick
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. 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