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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. cue — a signal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. board — to get on
  5. band — a music group
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. content — happy
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cue — for pool
  12. band — a ring
  13. bound — certain
  14. cue — a hint
  15. current — electric
  16. bound — obliged
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. board — a committee
  24. current — happening now

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