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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. roll — a cake
  4. hand — help
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. hand — in cards
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. charge — a price
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rush — hurry
  23. cue — a hint
  24. charge — in control

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