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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: rush · pound · fine · content · hand · pit · cue · charge

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — a price
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pit — a hole
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. hand — help
  10. content — the amount
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pit — in a race
  20. hand — in cards
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. content — happy

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