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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · current · calf · cue · cold · cabinet · press · rule

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. current — happening now
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cue — for pool
  9. clip — a video
  10. rule — government
  11. clip — to cut
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. clip — for paper
  18. cold — an illness
  19. rule — a law
  20. press — a publisher
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. press — to push
  23. current — of water
  24. cold — not warm

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