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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rule — government
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. kid — to tease
  18. charge — in control
  19. bear — the animal
  20. kid — child
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. key — in music
  24. charge — a price

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