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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: current · present · rule · prune · perch · racket · fan · tube

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. current — happening now
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — there
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. present — a gift
  20. current — electric
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rule — a law
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rule — government

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