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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. current — of water
  5. cue — a signal
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — a company
  9. board — a committee
  10. ball — a dance
  11. last — final
  12. last — finally
  13. current — happening now
  14. stem — to come from
  15. last — to go on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. firm — steady
  18. cue — a hint
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cue — for pool
  21. board — to get on
  22. current — electric
  23. firm — decided
  24. rest — a break

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