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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bound — certain
  5. season — in sport
  6. current — of water
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. rest — what's left
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rest — what's left
  15. season — of the year
  16. current — happening now
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cue — for pool
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bound — obliged
  22. cue — a hint
  23. current — electric
  24. rest — a break

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