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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: lie · stick · content · cue · fan · club · sharp · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lie — to recline
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. wind — moving air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cue — a signal
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — happy
  20. sharp — clever
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for dancing
  23. cue — for pool
  24. club — for golf

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