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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 116 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: bay · dip · wound · charge · cue · pass · row · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wound — an injury
  8. charge — in control
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — a line
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pass — a permit
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wound — an injury

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