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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 116 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: cue · pop · rush · deal · fork · lean · fan · object

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pop — music
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. object — to protest
  16. lean — to bend
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pop — soda
  21. object — a thing
  22. lean — thin
  23. rush — hurry
  24. object — an aim

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