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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
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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: charge · hand · rush · bass · face · bear · cue · pop

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. face — to confront
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pop — music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. cue — a signal
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. face — to point toward
  11. cue — a hint
  12. charge — a price
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bass — low music
  15. pop — soda
  16. face — part of the head
  17. rush — hurry
  18. hand — help
  19. charge — in control
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bass — the fish
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. hand — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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