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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: mine · wound · charge · firm · cue · pass · fine · game

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. firm — a company
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pass — a permit
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mine — for digging
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wound — an injury
  21. charge — in control
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cue — a hint
  24. game — a match

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