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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. current — of water
  5. cue — for pool
  6. current — happening now
  7. game — a match
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mark — a grade
  12. current — electric
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rash — a series
  17. mark — a trace
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. drill — a practice
  22. fork — in a road
  23. drill — army training
  24. rash — hasty

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