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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · racket · wake · cue · charge · coach · cabinet · wound

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. wound — an injury
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cue — a signal
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wake — a trail
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cue — a hint

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