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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.

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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: season · firm · suit · tube · board · chair · cue · charge

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — in sport
  3. chair — a leader
  4. charge — electricity
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. firm — decided
  8. charge — in control
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. charge — a price
  12. suit — in cards
  13. tube — the underground
  14. firm — steady
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. cue — a signal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cue — for pool
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. cue — a hint
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. firm — a company

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