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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — for pool
  7. current — of water
  8. pop — to visit
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — in cards
  12. present — the time now
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. hand — help
  16. rock — music
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. present — a gift
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. present — there
  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