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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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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 · perch · racket · current · cap · rock · arm · toast

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cue — a signal
  3. toast — bread
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. current — of water
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cue — a hint
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cap — of ice
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rock — a stone
  19. cap — a lid
  20. current — happening now
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. current — electric
  23. cue — for pool
  24. arm — part of the body

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