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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. spring — a coil
  3. cue — a signal
  4. hand — in cards
  5. current — electric
  6. cue — for pool
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. spring — the season
  9. lean — thin
  10. rock — music
  11. kick — in football
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stock — shares
  15. hand — help
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. current — of water
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. spring — of water
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. lean — to bend
  22. current — happening now
  23. stock — goods
  24. cue — a hint

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