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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: chest · current · rule · swing · net · cue · lie · suit

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. current — electric
  3. cue — a signal
  4. chest — a box
  5. chest — of your body
  6. rule — government
  7. cue — for pool
  8. net — for catching
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rule — a law
  11. swing — in golf
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. current — happening now
  14. chest — of your body
  15. net — after costs
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. swing — to play on
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. net — in sport
  21. cue — a hint
  22. swing — music
  23. suit — in cards
  24. current — of water

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