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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 120 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 · wind · tube · staff · current · cue · last · club

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. tube — a container
  3. suit — clothes
  4. current — electric
  5. staff — a stick
  6. cue — a signal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. club — a group
  9. wind — moving air
  10. last — to go on
  11. tube — the underground
  12. cue — a hint
  13. last — finally
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. cue — for pool
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. club — for golf
  18. last — final
  19. suit — in cards
  20. club — for dancing
  21. staff — employees
  22. current — of water
  23. wind — moving air
  24. staff — employees

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