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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: ball · pitcher · safe · mark · cue · suit · bat · charge

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. cue — a signal
  7. ball — a great time
  8. charge — in control
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bat — the animal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ball — a dance
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. charge — a price

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