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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. cue — for pool
  3. file — a document
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — hasty
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — a practice
  8. file — a line of people
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. firm — decided
  12. file — a tool
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. firm — steady
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. drill — the tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. firm — a company
  23. rash — a series
  24. bowl — a dish

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