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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: cue · cell · charge · bass · calf · cold · rush · object

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in biology
  5. rush — hurry
  6. object — a thing
  7. charge — in control
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cold — not warm
  13. object — to protest
  14. cold — an illness
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bass — low music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. object — an aim
  21. charge — a price
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bass — the instrument

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