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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. present — the time now
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. present — there
  4. cue — a hint
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. current — of water
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. present — a gift
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mark — a trace
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cue — a signal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. dip — a sauce
  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