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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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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: current · kick · cue · race · arm · rest · lie · bowl

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. rest — a break
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. current — happening now
  9. cue — a hint
  10. kick — in football
  11. cue — for pool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. race — a contest
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. race — the arms race
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lie — to recline
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. race — humankind
  24. cue — a signal

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