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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 · ball · wax · pitch · squash · current · craft · board

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. squash — to crush
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. cue — a hint
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. cue — for pool
  9. wax — to grow
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. craft — a skill
  12. ball — a great time
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. craft — boats
  19. current — electric
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. ball — a dance

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