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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. staff — a stick
  3. current — electric
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. perch — the fish
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. staff — employees
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. kick — in football
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rest — what's left
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. chest — a box
  21. staff — employees
  22. chest — of your body
  23. rest — a break
  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