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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. current — happening now
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. current — of water
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. current — electric
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bound — certain
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. foot — a measure
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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