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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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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: rock · stand · suit · spring · current · cue · mine · cap

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. current — electric
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. cap — of ice
  8. spring — a coil
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cap — a lid
  13. spring — the season
  14. mine — for digging
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cue — a signal
  23. spring — of water
  24. mine — an explosive

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