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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. staff — a stick
  3. current — electric
  4. staff — employees
  5. drill — army training
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cue — a signal
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. drill — a practice
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. cue — for pool
  14. current — of water
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wound — an injury
  17. staff — employees
  18. current — happening now

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