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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. cue — a signal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. band — a ring
  6. cap — of ice
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. band — a music group
  9. cap — a lid
  10. current — of water
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rule — a law
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. current — happening now
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. current — electric
  22. scale — in music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rule — government

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