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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cue — for pool
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. charge — electricity
  7. firm — decided
  8. branch — a division
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. firm — steady
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. cold — not warm
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. firm — a company
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cold — an illness
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. charge — a price
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. temple — a place of worship

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