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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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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: bay · rest · fork · board · mouse · cue · current · toast

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. board — a committee
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. board — to get on
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — bread
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. fork — in a road
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. current — of water
  24. fork — to eat with

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