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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: charge · cue · pass · nail · rush · clip · fall · firm

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rush — hurry
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fall — the season
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. clip — a video
  10. charge — in control
  11. cue — a hint
  12. charge — a price
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. firm — a company
  15. charge — electricity
  16. firm — decided
  17. clip — for paper
  18. firm — steady
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. fall — to drop
  22. clip — to cut
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rush — to hurry

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