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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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · cue · cold · fine · fan · kick · squash · charge

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the sport
  3. cue — a hint
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. suit — in cards
  8. charge — in control
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cue — a signal
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. cold — an illness
  14. fine — all right
  15. charge — a price
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cold — not warm
  22. cue — for pool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. kick — in football

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