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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. cue — a hint
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — rain
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. cue — for pool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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