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

Word bank: cue · snap · deal · swing · rock · current · nail · wind

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. wind — moving air
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. rock — a stone
  14. snap — to click
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. swing — in golf
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. rock — music
  21. wind — moving air
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. deal — to handle
  24. swing — music

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