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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. club — a group
  4. swing — in golf
  5. club — for golf
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. deal — to handle
  12. sharp — clever
  13. club — for dancing
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. file — a document
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. cue — a signal
  20. swing — to play on
  21. file — a tool
  22. swing — music
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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