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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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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: rule · kick · board · current · cue · object · perch · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. current — of water
  6. cue — a hint
  7. rule — government
  8. perch — the fish
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. object — to protest
  11. kick — in football
  12. rule — a law
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. cue — for pool
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. cue — a signal
  17. board — a committee
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. current — electric
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. board — to get on
  22. current — happening now
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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