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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 120 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mine — for digging
  4. club — for golf
  5. mug — a face
  6. bass — the fish
  7. club — for dancing
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. bass — low music
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mug — a cup
  16. band — a ring
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cue — a hint
  22. rush — hurry
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a music group

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