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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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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: saw · lash · chip · hand · fine · club · foot · cue

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. club — for dancing
  8. cue — a hint
  9. chip — to eat
  10. foot — a measure
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. hand — in cards
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. club — a group
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cue — for pool
  23. club — for golf
  24. saw — the tool

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