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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 124 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. current — happening now
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. current — of water
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. cue — a hint
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stand — to bear
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cue — a signal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. current — electric
  24. cue — for pool

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