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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. cue — a signal
  5. row — a line
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. mug — to rob
  10. row — to paddle
  11. charge — electricity
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. tube — a container
  15. key — the most important part
  16. charge — in control
  17. key — in music
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mug — a face
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bat — the animal
  24. charge — a price

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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