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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. club — for golf
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. chest — of your body
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. chip — for betting
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cue — a hint
  13. chest — a box
  14. pound — a weight
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. club — a group
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cue — a signal
  24. club — for dancing

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