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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — for pool
  6. current — electric
  7. pit — in a race
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. craft — boats
  13. current — of water
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. lie — to recline
  18. kid — child
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. current — happening now
  21. kid — to tease
  22. pit — a hole
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lie — an untruth

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