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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 · pitcher · content · face · pitch · current · spell · arm

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. content — happy
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. face — to confront
  5. cue — for pool
  6. current — happening now
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. face — to point toward
  12. content — the amount
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cue — a hint
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. spell — letters
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. current — electric
  22. spell — a short time
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. spell — magic

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