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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bound — certain
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rash — a series
  5. cue — a hint
  6. current — electric
  7. dip — to sink
  8. content — the amount
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bound — obliged
  12. current — of water
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. content — happy
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bound — tied together
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rash — hasty
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pass — to spend time

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