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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cue — a signal
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. kick — in football
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. charge — in control
  21. pass — a permit
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bore — to drill
  24. track — a song

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