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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 120 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: current · cue · nail · pitch · cell · wound · dip · racket

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pitch — completely
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cell — in biology
  6. wound — an injury
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. current — of water
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cue — a signal
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. cue — for pool
  22. current — happening now
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. cell — a phone

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