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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. current — happening now
  4. cue — a signal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. march — music
  7. current — of water
  8. board — a committee
  9. charge — a price
  10. cue — for pool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. board — to get on
  13. march — the month
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. charge — in control
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cue — a hint
  20. march — the month
  21. current — electric
  22. charge — electricity
  23. kick — in football
  24. lean — to bend

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