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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. scale — size or range
  5. current — electric
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cue — for pool
  10. current — of water
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. band — a ring
  13. scale — in music
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cue — a hint
  17. stand — to bear
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. cue — a signal
  22. current — happening now
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. foot — a measure

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