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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. kick — in football
  3. cue — for pool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. degree — from a university
  6. cue — a hint
  7. degree — temperature
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rule — a law
  10. cue — a signal
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rock — a stone
  13. current — of water
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rule — government
  18. degree — an amount
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. current — electric
  21. rock — music
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. stand — to bear

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