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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. object — a thing
  7. fine — high quality
  8. current — of water
  9. bulb — for light
  10. current — electric
  11. scale — size or range
  12. fine — all right
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. scale — in music
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. object — an aim
  22. pound — a weight
  23. cue — a signal
  24. object — to protest

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