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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. deal — to handle
  3. charge — in control
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. club — for dancing
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. club — for golf
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. club — a group
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rash — hasty
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. charge — a price
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wake — a trail
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. kid — child
  20. rash — a series
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. kid — to tease
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. charge — electricity

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