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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: drill · dip · club · game · hand · cue · object · press

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. press — newspapers
  3. hand — help
  4. cue — a signal
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. club — a group
  10. object — an aim
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. drill — the tool
  13. object — to protest
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. drill — army training
  17. hand — in cards
  18. game — a match
  19. press — a publisher
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — for golf
  22. press — to push
  23. object — a thing
  24. dip — to sink

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