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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. current — electric
  7. club — a group
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bound — certain
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pass — a permit
  12. cue — a signal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bound — obliged
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bound — tied together
  17. current — happening now
  18. chip — to eat
  19. current — of water
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — for golf
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. swing — to play on

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