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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.

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: season · net · swing · ball · rest · cue · charge · chair

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cue — for pool
  4. net — after costs
  5. rest — a break
  6. ball — a dance
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. swing — to play on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. charge — in control
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. rest — what's left
  16. charge — a price
  17. net — for catching
  18. season — of the year
  19. net — in sport
  20. charge — electricity
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. chair — a leader
  23. season — in sport
  24. chair — to sit on

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