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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. charge — a price
  3. cue — for pool
  4. charge — in control
  5. wind — moving air
  6. charge — electricity
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. cue — a hint
  9. plane — a tool
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. present — the time now
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. cue — a signal
  21. present — a gift
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. present — there
  24. foot — a measure

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