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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: bound · craft · current · cue · last · fine · squash · ball

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bound — tied together
  4. current — happening now
  5. bound — certain
  6. last — final
  7. craft — a skill
  8. current — electric
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. ball — a dance
  11. craft — boats
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. squash — the sport
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bound — obliged
  21. last — to go on
  22. ball — a great time
  23. last — finally
  24. current — of water

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