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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: object · mouse · club · sharp · rush · cue · march · charge

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cue — a signal
  3. march — the month
  4. object — a thing
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. club — for dancing
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. object — an aim
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rush — hurry
  16. charge — electricity
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. club — for golf
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. cue — for pool
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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