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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. pop — music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pop — to visit
  5. charge — electricity
  6. club — for dancing
  7. net — for catching
  8. charge — in control
  9. pop — soda
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. net — after costs
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. ground — crushed
  18. net — in sport
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. charge — a price
  21. rest — a break
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rest — what's left

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