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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. race — a contest
  3. cap — a hat
  4. charge — a price
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mug — a cup
  12. race — humankind
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cue — a hint
  15. mug — a face
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ball — a dance
  19. charge — in control
  20. race — the arms race
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — to eat with

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