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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: mate · charge · cell · spell · jam · straw · cue · row

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. mate — to breed
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cue — a signal
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mate — a partner
  8. row — to paddle
  9. charge — in control
  10. row — a line
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. charge — a price
  13. cue — for pool
  14. spell — magic
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. spell — letters
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cue — a hint
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. spell — a short time
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — a phone
  23. mate — a friend
  24. straw — a straw man

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