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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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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: suit · current · last · snap · nail · cabinet · cue · bat

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. cue — for pool
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. snap — to click
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. suit — to fit
  13. current — of water
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bat — the animal
  16. last — to go on
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. last — final
  20. cue — a hint
  21. last — finally
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bat — in an idiom

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