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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: game · club · staff · squash · row · ground · cue · mug

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. staff — a stick
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ground — the earth
  5. row — to paddle
  6. staff — employees
  7. squash — to crush
  8. club — a group
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mug — to rob
  11. game — wild animals
  12. ground — crushed
  13. game — a match
  14. staff — employees
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. club — for golf
  18. mug — a face
  19. row — a line
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mug — a cup
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. squash — the sport
  24. cue — a hint

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