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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · cue · tube · rash · wound · charge · safe · press

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. charge — in control
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. press — to push
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rash — a series
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. tube — a container
  11. rash — hasty
  12. press — a publisher
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. charge — electricity
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. press — newspapers
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cue — for pool
  24. safe — out of danger

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