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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. current — electric
  3. rule — government
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. present — the time now
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. wake — a trail
  8. current — happening now
  9. present — a gift
  10. rule — a law
  11. snap — to click
  12. perch — the fish
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. current — of water
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. cue — a hint
  23. present — there
  24. cue — a signal

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