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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pit — in a race
  6. current — of water
  7. pit — a hole
  8. game — a match
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. current — electric
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bound — obliged
  14. current — happening now
  15. bound — certain
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cue — a hint
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. hand — in cards
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. cue — for pool
  24. hand — help

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