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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 120 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
468
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: squash · wave · tube · cue · can · charge · fork · pass

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. charge — a price
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. cue — for pool
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. tube — a container
  14. squash — the sport
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. can — a tin
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. charge — in control
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pass — a permit
  24. charge — electricity

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