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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cue — a signal
  3. perch — the fish
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stand — to bear
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. tear — from crying
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. charge — electricity
  11. tear — from crying
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. tear — to rip
  15. deal — to handle
  16. charge — a price
  17. game — wild animals
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cue — a hint
  21. game — a match
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. perch — for a bird

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