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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. cap — a lid
  2. cue — a signal
  3. charge — a price
  4. roll — a cake
  5. suit — clothes
  6. last — to go on
  7. bore — to tire
  8. last — final
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. suit — to fit
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cap — of ice
  16. roll — a list
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cue — for pool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. last — finally
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bound — certain
  23. cue — a hint
  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