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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. hand — in cards
  4. pop — music
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pass — a permit
  10. current — happening now
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. current — electric
  15. current — of water
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. cue — a hint
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pop — soda
  22. cue — a signal
  23. hand — help
  24. cue — for pool

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