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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 120 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. cue — a signal
  3. present — there
  4. hand — help
  5. charge — in control
  6. rash — a series
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. firm — decided
  10. mate — a friend
  11. present — the time now
  12. press — newspapers
  13. present — a gift
  14. press — to push
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. firm — a company
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. hand — in cards
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. press — a publisher
  23. firm — steady
  24. rash — on the skin

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