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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. row — a line
  7. cue — a hint
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cue — a signal
  14. current — of water
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a document
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. cap — of ice
  21. file — a tool
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the fish

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