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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. current — happening now
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cue — for pool
  6. march — the month
  7. cue — a signal
  8. firm — decided
  9. last — final
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. march — the month
  13. last — to go on
  14. cue — a hint
  15. firm — a company
  16. current — electric
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. firm — steady
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. last — finally
  23. march — music
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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