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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. current — of water
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. present — a gift
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. current — happening now
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. present — the time now
  12. branch — a division
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. current — electric
  15. pound — a weight
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. tube — a container
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. tube — the underground
  23. present — there
  24. wave — of the sea

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