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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. rule — government
  3. current — happening now
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. current — of water
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. current — electric
  11. club — a group
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rule — a law
  14. cue — a hint
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — clever
  18. club — for golf
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. spell — letters
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. spell — magic
  24. rush — hurry

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