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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. cue — for pool
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. current — happening now
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cue — a signal
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. staff — employees
  9. current — of water
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. present — the time now
  12. mate — a partner
  13. fine — high quality
  14. present — a gift
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mate — a friend
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. current — electric
  21. fine — all right
  22. present — there
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — in cards

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