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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  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. pit — in a race
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wind — moving air
  7. current — happening now
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bound — obliged
  10. current — electric
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cold — an illness
  13. current — of water
  14. bound — tied together
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pit — a hole
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. bound — certain
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. cold — not warm
  23. cue — for pool
  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