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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pass — a permit
  3. clip — for paper
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — to fit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. charge — a price
  8. rule — government
  9. cue — a signal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. clip — to cut
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. charge — in control
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. cue — a hint
  20. saw — the tool
  21. charge — electricity
  22. clip — a video
  23. rule — a law
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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