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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  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. file — a document
  2. cue — for pool
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. suit — in cards
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pass — a permit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cue — a hint
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. file — a tool
  17. current — electric
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. file — a line of people
  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