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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. current — electric
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rash — a series
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mug — a face
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cap — a lid
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. cap — a hat
  21. current — of water
  22. pitch — completely
  23. current — happening now
  24. calf — a young animal

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