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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. face — to point toward
  3. current — of water
  4. face — part of the head
  5. roll — a list
  6. face — to confront
  7. rest — what's left
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stock — shares
  11. current — electric
  12. cue — a signal
  13. kick — in football
  14. stock — goods
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rest — what's left
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. current — happening now
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. roll — a cake
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rest — a break

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