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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cell — in biology
  6. shower — to wash
  7. root — of a word
  8. cue — a signal
  9. current — of water
  10. file — a line of people
  11. root — of a plant
  12. current — happening now
  13. root — the cause
  14. file — a document
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. file — a tool
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. current — electric
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — a phone

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