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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: chip · lean · roll · cue · rest · craft · rush · club

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. roll — a cake
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. chip — for betting
  6. rest — a break
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — hurry
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lean — thin
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. roll — a list
  16. craft — boats
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cue — a hint
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — for golf
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — to bend
  23. cue — for pool
  24. club — a group

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