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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 play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. charge — in control
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kid — to tease
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. club — for dancing
  9. charge — a price
  10. pop — music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. kid — child
  16. perch — the fish
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pop — soda
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cue — a signal
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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