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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: current · cold · nail · ball · cue · stand · kick · safe

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cold — an illness
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. current — happening now
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cue — a signal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. kick — in football
  13. stand — to bear
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. current — of water
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. cue — a hint
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. current — electric

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