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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: bass · cue · rush · current · pitcher · stand · spring · ruler

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cue — a signal
  17. spring — the season
  18. rush — hurry
  19. current — of water
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bass — low music
  23. spring — of water
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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