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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. cue — a signal
  4. club — for golf
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. current — of water
  7. club — a group
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. current — electric
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bore — to drill
  16. cue — a hint
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. current — happening now
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cue — for pool

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