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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: cue · fan · track · kid · bear · foot · current · cap

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. cap — of ice
  3. kid — child
  4. bear — the animal
  5. kid — to tease
  6. cap — a hat
  7. track — a song
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. current — of water
  11. current — happening now
  12. track — a path
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. current — electric
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cue — for pool
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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