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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mate — a friend
  5. current — electric
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. current — of water
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cap — of ice
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. swing — to play on
  23. current — happening now
  24. saw — the tool

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