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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. file — a tool
  3. current — of water
  4. mate — a friend
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. mate — to breed
  8. file — a document
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. current — electric
  14. cue — a hint
  15. press — newspapers
  16. mate — a partner
  17. current — happening now
  18. bear — the animal
  19. press — a publisher
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. march — the month
  22. cue — a signal
  23. file — a line of people
  24. press — to push

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