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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 116 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. can — a tin
  3. cue — for pool
  4. can — to be able to
  5. key — for a lock
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. hand — help
  12. clip — a video
  13. current — electric
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. key — the most important part
  17. hand — in cards
  18. can — a tin
  19. clip — for paper
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cue — a hint
  23. key — in music
  24. clip — to cut

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