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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. scale — size or range
  4. suit — to fit
  5. current — of water
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. root — of a word
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. root — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. current — electric
  15. scale — in music
  16. current — happening now
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. cue — for pool
  20. root — the cause
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. cue — a hint
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fan — a supporter

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