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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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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: mouse · rock · cue · current · fine · drill · chest · fork

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chest — of your body
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cue — a signal
  7. chest — a box
  8. drill — army training
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fine — high quality
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rock — music
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. drill — the tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. current — happening now
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fine — all right

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