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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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468
Word bank
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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cue — a signal
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. cold — not warm
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. can — a tin
  7. rest — a break
  8. cold — an illness
  9. fine — high quality
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. charge — a price
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rest — what's left
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. cue — a hint
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rest — what's left

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