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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. spell — a short time
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bound — obliged
  6. suit — in cards
  7. current — happening now
  8. cue — for pool
  9. suit — to fit
  10. current — electric
  11. bound — certain
  12. current — of water
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. spell — magic
  16. cue — a hint
  17. suit — clothes
  18. spell — letters
  19. bass — the fish
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bass — low music

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