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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: lash · current · nail · cue · spring · ball · mug · pitch

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. spring — of water
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. ball — a dance
  6. current — happening now
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cue — a signal
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. ball — a great time
  11. current — of water
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. spring — a coil
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spring — the season
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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