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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 116 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — ground
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — of water
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. cue — for pool
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fork — in a road
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. current — electric
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cue — a signal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. vault — a safe
  22. land — a country
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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