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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: mark · cold · present · charge · lash · pit · suit · cue

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cue — a signal
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pit — in a race
  6. suit — in cards
  7. present — a gift
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. mark — a grade
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pit — a hole
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. charge — in control
  20. mark — a trace
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cold — not warm
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. cue — a hint

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