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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pop — soda
  4. cue — a hint
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. saw — the tool
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. pop — to visit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bark — to shout
  15. charge — a price
  16. last — finally
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cue — a signal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. last — final
  21. pop — music
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. last — to go on

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