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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. cue — for pool
  4. shower — rain
  5. pound — a weight
  6. shower — to wash
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. toast — bread
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. charge — electricity
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cue — a signal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. suit — to fit
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. coach — a trainer

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