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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. charge — a price
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. pitch — completely
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cue — for pool
  11. firm — steady
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. season — in sport
  14. charge — in control
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. firm — decided
  19. charge — electricity
  20. season — of the year
  21. firm — a company
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. object — to protest
  24. cue — a signal

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