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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. club — a group
  3. staff — a stick
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. cue — for pool
  7. club — for golf
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. season — of the year
  11. tube — a container
  12. staff — employees
  13. season — in sport
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. staff — employees
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. club — for dancing
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. cue — a hint

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