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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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. file — a document
  3. chest — a box
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. club — for dancing
  7. cue — for pool
  8. can — a tin
  9. chest — of your body
  10. cap — of ice
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. drill — a practice
  14. can — to be able to
  15. file — a tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. drill — the tool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. drill — army training
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. file — a line of people
  23. rule — a law
  24. cue — a signal

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