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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. cue — for pool
  4. charge — a price
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. staff — employees
  7. charge — in control
  8. mug — a cup
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bore — to tire
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cold — not warm
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. charge — electricity
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mug — a face
  17. staff — a stick
  18. season — in sport
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. cue — a hint
  23. staff — employees
  24. season — of the year

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