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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bound — obliged
  5. club — a group
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bound — tied together
  9. club — for dancing
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bound — certain
  14. mine — for digging
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cue — a hint
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. club — for golf
  24. cue — for pool

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