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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 120 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. degree — temperature
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. ground — a position
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. charge — a price
  9. pop — to visit
  10. degree — from a university
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. charge — electricity
  14. degree — an amount
  15. pop — soda
  16. ground — the earth
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pop — music
  21. charge — in control
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. ground — crushed
  24. wave — with your hand

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