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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. spring — of water
  3. mate — a partner
  4. club — a group
  5. bound — obliged
  6. spring — the season
  7. branch — a division
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bound — certain
  10. spring — a coil
  11. can — a tin
  12. cue — for pool
  13. current — electric
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. mate — a friend
  17. cue — a hint
  18. current — of water
  19. bound — tied together
  20. current — happening now
  21. mate — to breed
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. club — for golf

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