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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. craft — a skill
  4. band — a music group
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. pop — to visit
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. current — of water
  11. roll — a cake
  12. craft — boats
  13. band — a ring
  14. pop — music
  15. fine — all right
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. current — happening now
  19. roll — a list
  20. cue — a signal
  21. current — electric
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pop — soda
  24. fine — high quality

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