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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. club — for dancing
  3. key — in music
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. chip — for betting
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fork — in a road
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cue — for pool
  11. club — a group
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cue — a signal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. chip — to eat
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. key — the most important part
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. club — for golf

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