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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pop — music
  4. file — a document
  5. present — the time now
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. current — electric
  9. hand — in cards
  10. current — of water
  11. present — a gift
  12. cue — a signal
  13. file — a line of people
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. hand — help
  16. file — a tool
  17. season — in sport
  18. current — happening now
  19. pop — soda
  20. cue — a hint
  21. season — of the year
  22. cue — for pool
  23. present — there
  24. pop — to visit

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