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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: squash · rock · bass · rest · cue · rush · shower · current

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bass — low music
  5. rock — music
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. shower — to wash
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rest — what's left
  15. squash — the sport
  16. rest — a break
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. squash — to crush
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. bass — the fish
  23. shower — rain
  24. current — happening now

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