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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bass — the fish
  4. suit — in cards
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. race — a contest
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. race — humankind
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bass — low music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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