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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cue — for pool
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — happy
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. charge — in control
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. board — to get on
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. charge — a price
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. charge — electricity
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. sharp — clever
  24. board — a committee

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