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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: cold · ball · jam · bear · nail · safe · current · cue

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. current — of water
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cue — a hint
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cold — not warm
  10. bear — the animal
  11. current — electric
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. ball — a great time
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a dance
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bear — the animal
  22. current — happening now
  23. cue — for pool
  24. ball — a round shape

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