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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 · cue · spell · cabinet · ball · foot · charge · file

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. file — a line of people
  3. charge — a price
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. foot — a measure
  7. file — a document
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cue — for pool
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cue — a hint
  13. charge — in control
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. file — a tool
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. ball — a great time
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spell — a short time
  22. charge — electricity
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — magic

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