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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. spell — magic
  7. cue — a hint
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. cap — a lid
  11. charge — in control
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cap — a hat
  14. charge — a price
  15. scale — in music
  16. rule — a law
  17. spell — letters
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rule — government
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. snap — to click
  24. cue — for pool

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