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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. current — of water
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rule — a law
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cold — an illness
  19. fork — in a road
  20. current — happening now
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. cold — not warm
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. current — electric

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