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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kid · current · cue · game · bear · mug · firm · mate

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. game — a match
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mate — to breed
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. current — of water
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. firm — steady
  11. mate — a partner
  12. kid — child
  13. bear — the animal
  14. current — happening now
  15. bear — the animal
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. cue — a hint
  19. firm — decided
  20. current — electric
  21. kid — to tease
  22. firm — a company
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mate — a friend

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