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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 120 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: game · cue · firm · wave · bay · current · fall · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. game — a match
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. firm — a company
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fall — to drop
  10. current — electric
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cue — a signal
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. current — of water
  17. fall — the season
  18. saw — the tool
  19. current — happening now
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. firm — steady
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. firm — decided

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