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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: straw · cue · pitcher · foot · fan · firm · rule · date

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rule — a law
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. foot — a measure
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — government
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. cue — a hint
  22. firm — a company
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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