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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: scale · current · stick · game · cue · root · craft · present

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. cue — a hint
  7. root — of a plant
  8. craft — a skill
  9. current — happening now
  10. root — of a word
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. present — the time now
  13. scale — size or range
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. present — there
  16. current — of water
  17. craft — boats
  18. current — electric
  19. root — the cause
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. scale — in music
  22. cue — for pool
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. present — a gift

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