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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. game — a match
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. object — an aim
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. current — of water
  7. game — wild animals
  8. object — a thing
  9. chair — a leader
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. current — happening now
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. cue — for pool
  14. current — electric
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — to wash
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. object — to protest
  24. cue — a signal

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