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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. charge — a price
  5. cue — a hint
  6. roll — a list
  7. charge — in control
  8. mark — a grade
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fork — in a road
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. roll — a cake
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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