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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cue — a signal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cue — a hint
  5. perch — the fish
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. charge — a price
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. firm — a company
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cue — for pool
  15. spell — letters
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. firm — decided
  18. charge — electricity
  19. spell — a short time
  20. firm — steady
  21. spell — magic
  22. hand — help
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. hand — in cards

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