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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. cue — for pool
  3. current — of water
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. snap — to click
  7. current — happening now
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. lean — thin
  17. pit — in a race
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mate — a friend
  24. lean — to rest against

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