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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 116 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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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: nail · cap · suit · chair · bay · current · pitch · cue

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. chair — a leader
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. cap — of ice
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. current — happening now
  15. pitch — completely
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cap — a hat
  20. suit — clothes
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. current — electric
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. cap — a lid

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