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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: fan · snap · cue · rush · firm · rock · field · net

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. field — for sport
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. field — a subject
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. net — for catching
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rock — music
  12. snap — to click
  13. cue — for pool
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. firm — a company
  17. net — in sport
  18. firm — steady
  19. field — farmland
  20. net — after costs
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. firm — decided
  24. cue — a signal

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