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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. mug — to rob
  3. clip — a video
  4. charge — electricity
  5. spring — of water
  6. firm — steady
  7. cue — for pool
  8. charge — a price
  9. spring — the season
  10. hand — in cards
  11. mug — a cup
  12. firm — decided
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cue — a hint
  16. clip — to cut
  17. cue — a signal
  18. mug — a face
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. firm — a company
  21. charge — in control
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. clip — for paper
  24. hand — help

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