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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 go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. charge — in control
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. net — in sport
  7. cue — for pool
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cue — a hint
  11. charge — electricity
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. charge — a price
  14. net — after costs
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. net — for catching
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. branch — a division
  24. pass — to spend time

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