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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — a match
  10. cue — for pool
  11. charge — in control
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bound — obliged
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cue — a hint
  20. game — wild animals
  21. charge — a price
  22. bound — certain
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rush — hurry

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