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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. land — a country
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rest — what's left
  8. land — ground
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — child
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. current — happening now
  15. rest — a break
  16. current — electric
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. current — of water
  22. land — to come down
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cue — a signal

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