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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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. club — for dancing
  3. current — of water
  4. firm — a company
  5. cue — a hint
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wound — an injury
  8. club — for golf
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cue — a signal
  12. firm — steady
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. chip — to eat
  16. current — happening now
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. cue — for pool
  19. club — a group
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. current — electric

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