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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. cue — a signal
  3. perch — the fish
  4. craft — boats
  5. cue — for pool
  6. current — electric
  7. file — a tool
  8. tear — from crying
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cue — a hint
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — in football
  15. tear — to rip
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. tear — from crying
  19. current — of water
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. vault — a safe
  22. current — happening now
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. file — a document

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