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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: bear · cue · current · suit · fall · temple · roll · swing

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. swing — in golf
  3. roll — a cake
  4. cue — for pool
  5. swing — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. swing — to play on
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cue — a signal
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. fall — the season
  13. current — happening now
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. cue — a hint
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bear — the animal
  23. roll — a list
  24. bear — to put up with

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