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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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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. club — a group
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chair — a leader
  6. pass — a permit
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. cue — a signal
  9. club — for golf
  10. rush — hurry
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. cue — for pool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. calf — a young animal

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