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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bear — the animal
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. squash — to crush
  8. cell — in biology
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. hand — help
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bear — the animal
  14. kick — in football
  15. current — happening now
  16. cue — a signal
  17. hand — in cards
  18. current — electric
  19. vault — a safe
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. cell — a phone
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. current — of water

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