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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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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: pitch · cue · dip · mark · bound · rule · current · pop

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pop — music
  5. current — happening now
  6. rule — a law
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cue — for pool
  11. current — of water
  12. pop — soda
  13. dip — to sink
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bound — certain
  16. rule — government
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bound — tied together
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bound — obliged
  21. mark — a trace
  22. cue — a hint
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pop — to visit

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