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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. swing — music
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. current — happening now
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. current — of water
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rule — government
  11. cue — for pool
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. present — the time now
  19. swing — in golf
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rule — a law
  22. current — electric
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. stem — to come from

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