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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. cue — a hint
  4. charge — a price
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — for pool
  7. march — the month
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. charge — in control
  12. rash — hasty
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — to crush
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cue — a signal
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. march — the month
  20. deal — to handle
  21. march — music
  22. charge — electricity
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. deal — an agreement

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