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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  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. cue — a signal
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — a group
  4. firm — a company
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rule — a law
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. cue — a hint
  9. club — for golf
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. chip — to eat
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. chip — for betting
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rule — government
  17. shower — rain
  18. plane — a tool
  19. tube — a container
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. tube — the underground
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — to wash
  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