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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: charge · firm · straw · cue · date · hand · spring · race

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. spring — of water
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. spring — a coil
  5. charge — in control
  6. cue — a signal
  7. spring — the season
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. hand — in cards
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. race — a contest
  13. firm — a company
  14. hand — help
  15. race — the arms race
  16. firm — steady
  17. charge — electricity
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. date — the fruit
  20. cue — for pool
  21. charge — a price
  22. cue — a hint
  23. race — humankind
  24. firm — decided

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