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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 · pop · game · current · lash · hide · key · track

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. current — of water
  5. pop — music
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pop — soda
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. game — a match
  11. track — a path
  12. current — electric
  13. cue — for pool
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. cue — a hint
  16. key — for a lock
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. game — wild animals
  19. key — the most important part
  20. cue — a signal
  21. key — in music
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. current — happening now
  24. pop — to visit

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