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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. charge — a price
  3. can — a tin
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. face — to point toward
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bass — low music
  11. charge — in control
  12. cap — of ice
  13. charge — electricity
  14. face — part of the head
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — a hat
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bass — the fish
  20. cue — a hint
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. face — to confront
  24. can — a tin

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