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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 120 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: current · snap · pit · pitcher · ball · shower · fan · chip

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. current — electric
  5. pit — in a race
  6. chip — for betting
  7. ball — a great time
  8. shower — rain
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. current — of water
  12. snap — to click
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. current — happening now
  20. pit — a hole
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. chip — to eat

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