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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 120 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. scale — in music
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. rash — hasty
  9. scale — size or range
  10. current — of water
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rash — a series
  16. dip — to sink
  17. current — happening now
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. staff — employees
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. cue — a hint
  22. current — electric
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cue — for pool

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