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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — in cards
  4. date — the fruit
  5. spell — letters
  6. cue — a signal
  7. game — a match
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. cue — for pool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. cue — a hint
  13. spell — a short time
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. suit — to fit
  16. spell — magic
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. current — of water
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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