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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. spring — of water
  4. file — a document
  5. bass — the fish
  6. can — a tin
  7. current — of water
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cue — a hint
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. spring — a coil
  13. current — electric
  14. can — a tin
  15. bass — low music
  16. spring — the season
  17. file — a line of people
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. rest — a break
  21. cue — a signal
  22. file — a tool
  23. current — happening now
  24. pound — for dogs

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