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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. game — a match
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cue — a signal
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. current — happening now
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. current — electric
  22. cue — for pool
  23. game — wild animals
  24. cue — a hint

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