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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 · wind · mark · charge · lie · can · current · spring

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cue — a signal
  5. charge — in control
  6. current — electric
  7. charge — electricity
  8. current — of water
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. spring — of water
  11. can — a tin
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lie — to recline
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mark — a trace
  16. current — happening now
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mark — a grade
  22. spring — the season
  23. charge — a price
  24. can — a tin

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