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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. firm — decided
  8. squash — the sport
  9. cue — a hint
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. file — a document
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. mine — for digging
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. squash — to crush
  21. file — a line of people
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. file — a tool

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