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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. march — the month
  5. current — of water
  6. date — the fruit
  7. wind — moving air
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. current — happening now
  11. march — music
  12. wind — moving air
  13. current — electric
  14. march — the month
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. cue — a hint
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. cue — a signal
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — low music

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