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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: roll · mug · current · season · pitcher · fan · mark · tube

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. tube — a container
  7. roll — a list
  8. mug — a cup
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. season — in sport
  11. tube — the underground
  12. mug — a face
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. current — of water
  15. season — of the year
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. roll — a cake
  23. mark — a trace
  24. fan — a supporter

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