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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: ball · clip · toast · board · cue · stem · suit · current

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. board — to get on
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. toast — bread
  5. cue — for pool
  6. ball — a great time
  7. current — happening now
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. ball — a dance
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. clip — a video
  15. stem — to come from
  16. clip — to cut
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. board — a committee
  20. current — electric
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. current — of water
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cue — a hint

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