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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
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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: pass · charge · cue · plane · hand · dip · land · chair

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. land — ground
  4. hand — in cards
  5. charge — a price
  6. cue — for pool
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. charge — in control
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. cue — a signal
  11. land — a country
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. charge — electricity
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. chair — a leader
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cue — a hint
  24. land — to come down

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