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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. kid — to tease
  3. object — to protest
  4. charge — in control
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cue — a hint
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cue — for pool
  17. kid — child
  18. plane — a tool
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. sharp — clever
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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