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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. current — of water
  3. cue — a signal
  4. swing — in golf
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. kid — to tease
  11. current — electric
  12. clip — a video
  13. bulb — for light
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. swing — to play on
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. clip — to cut
  20. cue — a hint
  21. current — happening now
  22. cue — for pool
  23. clip — for paper
  24. kid — child

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