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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 120 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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. cue — a hint
  3. net — after costs
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bound — obliged
  6. net — for catching
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bound — certain
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cue — for pool
  11. current — happening now
  12. bound — tied together
  13. current — of water
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. net — in sport
  19. file — a tool
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. current — electric
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cue — a signal
  24. deal — a big deal

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