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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. club — for golf
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. cap — a lid
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cue — a signal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. spell — letters
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. spell — magic
  14. rule — a law
  15. cap — of ice
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. club — a group
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. spell — a short time
  20. cue — a hint
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to click
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rule — government

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