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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: coach · pass · tube · object · cue · charge · hide · game

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — an aim
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. charge — a price
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. game — wild animals
  14. pass — a permit
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. tube — a container
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. charge — electricity
  19. object — a thing
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. charge — in control
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. game — a match
  24. coach — a trainer

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