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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: kick · ball · sharp · capital · temple · current · cue · game

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. capital — a city
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. game — a match
  9. sharp — clever
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. game — wild animals
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cue — for pool
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. capital — money
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. cue — a hint
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. cue — a signal
  22. current — happening now
  23. ball — a dance
  24. temple — a place of worship

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