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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 116 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: firm · fan · charge · pop · cue · snap · kid · lean

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. charge — a price
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. firm — decided
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. charge — in control
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. cue — a hint
  18. snap — to click
  19. firm — a company
  20. kid — to tease
  21. firm — steady
  22. pop — music
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. fan — to cool the air

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