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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cue — a signal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. current — electric
  12. cue — a hint
  13. present — a gift
  14. capital — a city
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — clothes
  17. present — the time now
  18. current — happening now
  19. capital — money
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fall — to drop
  23. current — of water
  24. fall — the season

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