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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 116 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: wound · sharp · mate · saw · bulb · cue · cap · charge

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  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. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. wound — an injury
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mate — a friend
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cap — a lid
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cue — a signal
  13. charge — in control
  14. cap — of ice
  15. sharp — clever
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bulb — for light
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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