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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: tube · current · nail · wake · fine · pop · game · rush

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wake — a trail
  4. rush — hurry
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. game — wild animals
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. current — electric
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — all right
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. game — a match
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. current — of water
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. current — happening now
  24. pop — soda

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