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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. club — for golf
  3. cue — a signal
  4. club — a group
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. press — to push
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. cue — a hint
  13. toast — bread
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cue — for pool
  17. press — newspapers
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. chip — for betting
  21. club — for dancing
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. chip — to eat
  24. tube — a container

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