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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 120 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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  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. cue — a hint
  2. cue — a signal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. present — a gift
  5. cap — a hat
  6. charge — in control
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cue — for pool
  12. spring — the season
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. spring — a coil
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. spring — of water
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. deal — an agreement

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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