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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: last · bear · current · track · cue · fan · swing · lie

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. cue — a hint
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cue — for pool
  5. track — to keep track
  6. swing — in golf
  7. current — happening now
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bear — the animal
  10. last — finally
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. swing — to play on
  13. last — to go on
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. swing — music
  21. current — of water
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cue — a signal
  24. last — final

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