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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cue — a signal
  3. chest — a box
  4. current — of water
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cue — for pool
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. spring — the season
  10. prune — to trim
  11. suit — to fit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. current — happening now
  15. cue — a hint
  16. spring — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. date — the fruit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. spring — a coil

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