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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. spring — the season
  3. cue — a signal
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. suit — in cards
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. spring — of water
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. game — a match
  13. mug — to rob
  14. charge — a price
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. mug — a face
  18. pit — a hole
  19. suit — clothes
  20. game — wild animals
  21. spring — a coil
  22. snap — to click
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. mug — a cup

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