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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. cue — a signal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. file — a tool
  5. club — for dancing
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. object — a thing
  8. stand — to bear
  9. file — a line of people
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. file — a document
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. deal — to handle
  17. club — a group
  18. object — an aim
  19. club — for golf
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. cue — for pool
  22. chip — to eat
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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