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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.

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: rush · pound · pitcher · fan · arm · craft · roll · current

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. roll — a list
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. current — happening now
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. current — electric
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. current — of water
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — a weight
  23. craft — boats
  24. pitcher — a jug

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