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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. cue — a hint
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. object — an aim
  6. rule — a law
  7. rock — music
  8. current — electric
  9. hand — help
  10. rule — government
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. object — to protest
  14. suit — clothes
  15. hand — in cards
  16. current — of water
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cue — for pool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cue — a signal
  21. object — a thing
  22. current — happening now
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. nail — for a hammer

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