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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. charge — electricity
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. key — in music
  7. net — in sport
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. net — after costs
  11. charge — in control
  12. cue — a hint
  13. kid — to tease
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cue — for pool
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. key — for a lock
  19. kid — child
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cue — a signal
  22. rush — hurry
  23. net — for catching
  24. deal — to handle

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