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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. cue — for pool
  5. clip — to cut
  6. rule — government
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. object — an aim
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. clip — for paper
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rule — a law
  13. cue — a hint
  14. current — of water
  15. cue — a signal
  16. plane — a tool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. clip — a video
  21. fine — high quality
  22. row — a line
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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