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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 · pit · fall · cue · mate · foot · fan · rush

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cue — for pool
  3. foot — a measure
  4. cue — a hint
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mate — a partner
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mate — to breed
  12. pit — in a race
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. charge — in control
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fall — the season
  18. rush — hurry
  19. cue — a signal
  20. charge — a price
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pit — a hole

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