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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
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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 · firm · nail · charge · spell · hide · pit · mine

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. pit — in a race
  5. cue — a hint
  6. spell — magic
  7. firm — a company
  8. charge — a price
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mine — for digging
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. cue — for pool
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. spell — letters
  18. firm — decided
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. firm — steady
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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