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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 120 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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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: cue · pit · press · lash · mate · firm · cabinet · charge

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mate — a friend
  7. press — a publisher
  8. firm — decided
  9. mate — a partner
  10. cue — a signal
  11. charge — a price
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — in control
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. firm — steady
  24. cue — for pool

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