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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. charge — in control
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. last — to go on
  5. mug — a face
  6. sharp — clever
  7. cue — for pool
  8. tube — a container
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mug — to rob
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cue — a hint
  13. charge — a price
  14. last — final
  15. cue — a signal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. last — finally
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. tube — the underground

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