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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. face — to confront
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bank — for money
  12. cue — for pool
  13. current — happening now
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rock — music
  16. ball — a dance
  17. current — electric
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bat — the animal
  24. pitch — a sports field

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