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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 120 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 · current · rock · clip · spell · lash · game · ruler

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. spell — magic
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rock — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. clip — for paper
  8. clip — to cut
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. game — a match
  11. current — electric
  12. game — wild animals
  13. cue — for pool
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. current — happening now
  16. cue — a hint
  17. spell — letters
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. clip — a video
  21. spell — a short time
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ruler — for measuring

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