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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. current — of water
  3. rule — a law
  4. cue — for pool
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cue — a hint
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. current — electric
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. date — the fruit
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rule — government
  20. foot — a measure
  21. current — happening now
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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