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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. charge — electricity
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. shower — rain
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. firm — a company
  9. cue — for pool
  10. firm — steady
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. shower — to wash
  13. charge — a price
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cue — a hint
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. hand — help
  19. cue — a signal
  20. firm — decided
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to click
  23. band — a ring
  24. charge — in control

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