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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. charge — in control
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. charge — a price
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. cue — for pool
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. charge — electricity
  14. band — a ring
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. cue — a hint
  22. band — a music group
  23. dip — to sink
  24. chair — a leader

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