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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. charge — in control
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. current — electric
  9. current — of water
  10. charge — electricity
  11. clip — a video
  12. current — happening now
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. stand — to bear
  19. clip — to cut
  20. charge — a price
  21. clip — for paper
  22. cue — for pool
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rash — a series

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