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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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Word bank
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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: face · cue · current · content · craft · game · perch · rush

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. face — part of the head
  5. craft — boats
  6. current — happening now
  7. cue — for pool
  8. current — of water
  9. rush — hurry
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. current — electric
  13. face — to point toward
  14. game — a match
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. content — the amount
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. face — to confront
  19. content — happy
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. game — wild animals
  22. cue — a hint
  23. perch — the fish
  24. cue — a signal

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