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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: race · fan · deal · cue · fork · rush · kick · club

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cue — a signal
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. rush — hurry
  8. race — a contest
  9. club — for dancing
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cue — for pool
  12. club — for golf
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. club — a group
  15. race — the arms race
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. race — humankind
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cue — a hint
  24. deal — an agreement

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