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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. cue — for pool
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. court — for sport
  9. staff — employees
  10. court — of law
  11. swing — music
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. court — of a king
  14. kid — child
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. staff — employees
  20. kid — to tease
  21. staff — a stick
  22. cue — a hint
  23. fork — in a road
  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