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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spring — a coil
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. cue — for pool
  7. file — a document
  8. cue — a signal
  9. file — a line of people
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rock — music
  12. saw — the tool
  13. charge — a price
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rock — a stone
  16. saw — the tool
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. spring — of water
  21. file — a tool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. suit — clothes
  24. spring — the season

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