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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 116 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: staff · pit · fan · current · deal · row · dip · tube

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. row — to paddle
  6. staff — employees
  7. tube — a container
  8. pit — a hole
  9. row — a line
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. staff — a stick
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. dip — to sink
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pit — in a race
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. staff — employees

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