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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mate — a partner
  10. cue — for pool
  11. squash — the sport
  12. suit — to fit
  13. root — the cause
  14. mate — to breed
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. suit — clothes
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. root — of a word
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cue — a signal
  22. charge — electricity
  23. cue — a hint
  24. nail — on a finger

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