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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: cue · craft · current · season · mouse · game · present · jam

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. current — happening now
  5. season — in sport
  6. current — of water
  7. present — a gift
  8. craft — boats
  9. game — wild animals
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. present — there
  14. cue — for pool
  15. season — of the year
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cue — a signal
  21. current — electric
  22. cue — a hint
  23. present — the time now
  24. game — a match

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