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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: cue · hand · rule · bass · wave · mouse · kick · current

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. current — happening now
  4. rule — government
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. rule — a law
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. bass — low music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. hand — in cards
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. cue — a signal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. hand — help

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