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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: charge · bear · game · cue · fan · season · rash · cap

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  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 — electricity
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. season — of the year
  4. cue — for pool
  5. rash — a series
  6. cap — a lid
  7. charge — a price
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bear — the animal
  10. season — in sport
  11. cap — a hat
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. cue — a signal
  14. charge — in control
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. game — a match
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cap — of ice
  23. game — a kind of play
  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