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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. swing — in golf
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. swing — music
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. current — of water
  11. present — a gift
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. current — happening now
  14. ground — a position
  15. present — the time now
  16. cell — a phone
  17. rule — a law
  18. current — electric
  19. present — there
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. swing — to play on
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — crushed

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