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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · charge · cell · saw · cue · race

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. saw — the tool
  3. race — a contest
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. saw — the tool
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. race — the arms race
  9. cue — a signal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cell — a phone
  14. race — humankind
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cell — in biology
  17. charge — a price
  18. saw — past of 'see'

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