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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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. club — for dancing
  2. fall — the season
  3. mug — a cup
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cue — a signal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bark — to shout
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. mug — to rob
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cue — a hint
  14. club — a group
  15. mug — a face
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fall — to drop
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. club — for golf
  23. chip — to eat
  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