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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. cue — a hint
  3. drill — army training
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cue — for pool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. club — for golf
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. drill — the tool
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. season — in sport
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. club — a group
  19. charge — in control
  20. fall — to drop
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. club — for dancing
  23. present — the time now
  24. cue — a signal

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