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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. club — for golf
  3. cue — a hint
  4. ground — the earth
  5. current — of water
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. spring — the season
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. spring — a coil
  10. kick — in football
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. cue — a signal
  13. ground — crushed
  14. spring — of water
  15. club — for dancing
  16. current — electric
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. club — a group
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rule — government
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. rule — a law
  23. pound — a weight
  24. ground — a position

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