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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. sharp — clever
  3. charge — a price
  4. season — in sport
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bound — obliged
  7. charge — in control
  8. cue — a signal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. swing — to play on
  11. season — of the year
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bound — certain
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. cue — a hint
  16. foot — a measure
  17. swing — music
  18. charge — electricity
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. scale — in music
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bound — tied together
  24. sharp — exactly

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