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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. march — the month
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. march — the month
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pop — music
  9. current — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. march — music
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. row — a line
  17. cue — a signal
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — soda
  23. deal — to handle
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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