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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. cue — a signal
  3. ball — a dance
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — decided
  6. mate — a partner
  7. ball — a great time
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. firm — steady
  10. key — the most important part
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mate — a friend
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mate — to breed
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. firm — a company
  21. charge — in control
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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