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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. current — of water
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. kid — child
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. kid — to tease
  11. cue — a hint
  12. season — in sport
  13. ground — the earth
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. season — of the year
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. ground — a position
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ground — crushed

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