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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. tube — a container
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. cue — for pool
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bulb — for light
  14. last — to go on
  15. wake — a trail
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pit — in a race
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. last — final
  21. current — happening now
  22. pit — a hole
  23. cue — a hint
  24. last — finally

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