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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
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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: racket · firm · current · shower · swing · suit · rule · march

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. current — electric
  6. suit — in cards
  7. firm — a company
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. march — the month
  10. swing — in golf
  11. suit — to fit
  12. firm — decided
  13. swing — music
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. shower — to wash
  18. firm — steady
  19. swing — to play on
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. rule — government
  23. shower — rain
  24. current — happening now

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