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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: cue · net · charge · season · hide · tube · deal · shower

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. charge — in control
  5. season — in sport
  6. shower — rain
  7. charge — electricity
  8. shower — to wash
  9. net — after costs
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. tube — a container
  14. season — of the year
  15. charge — a price
  16. net — for catching
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. cue — a signal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cue — a hint
  21. net — in sport
  22. cue — for pool
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. tube — in a tire

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