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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. prune — to trim
  5. current — electric
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. current — of water
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mate — a partner
  13. craft — boats
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. cue — a signal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. kid — child
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mate — to breed
  22. current — happening now
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mate — a friend

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