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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.

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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. tube — the underground
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. charge — electricity
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. staff — employees
  14. cue — for pool
  15. staff — a stick
  16. chair — a leader
  17. staff — employees
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. season — in sport
  20. cue — a signal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. season — of the year
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. tube — a container

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