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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. snap — to click
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cue — a signal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. club — for golf
  7. content — happy
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. march — music
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. march — the month
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. march — the month
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. content — the amount
  21. stand — to bear
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  24. safe — out of danger

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