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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 120 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. can — a tin
  4. current — electric
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. branch — a division
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. current — of water
  10. chip — for betting
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. degree — temperature
  15. wax — to grow
  16. cue — a hint
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cue — for pool
  21. current — happening now
  22. degree — an amount
  23. chip — to eat
  24. degree — from a university

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