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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. club — for dancing
  3. cue — a signal
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. toast — bread
  12. cue — for pool
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. charge — a price
  15. cue — a hint
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. charge — electricity
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. kick — in football
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. charge — in control

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