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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. charge — in control
  6. chip — to eat
  7. cue — for pool
  8. charge — electricity
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. club — a group
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. firm — decided
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cue — a hint
  17. snap — to click
  18. charge — a price
  19. club — for golf
  20. cue — a signal
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. kick — in football

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