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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · current · cue · calf · ball · snap · band · key

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a ring
  4. ball — a great time
  5. rest — a break
  6. current — of water
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. key — for a lock
  11. cue — for pool
  12. current — happening now
  13. key — in music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. current — electric
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — a signal
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. ball — a dance
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. snap — to click

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