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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: object · current · wind · bowl · squash · hide · coach · pitch

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. wind — moving air
  3. squash — to crush
  4. object — to protest
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. current — electric
  13. pitch — completely
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. object — a thing
  16. current — of water
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. object — an aim
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bowl — to roll

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