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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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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: mark · club · cue · dip · firm · cell · bore · fine

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cue — for pool
  3. fine — high quality
  4. cue — a signal
  5. firm — decided
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cell — a phone
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — all right
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. firm — a company
  13. bore — to tire
  14. cell — in biology
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. dip — to sink
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. club — for golf
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mark — a trace
  23. firm — steady
  24. bore — to drill

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