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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: rush · pound · current · present · dip · saw · roll · racket

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pound — a weight
  10. roll — a cake
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. current — of water
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. present — the time now
  16. rush — hurry
  17. roll — a list
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. current — electric
  23. rush — a thrill
  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