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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  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. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. season — in sport
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rule — a law
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mine — for digging
  11. current — happening now
  12. present — there
  13. current — of water
  14. season — of the year
  15. rule — government
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. current — electric
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  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