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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: pound · pitcher · current · kick · face · rock · squash · row

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rock — a stone
  6. face — to confront
  7. current — of water
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. current — happening now
  14. row — a line
  15. kick — in football
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. squash — to crush
  18. rock — music
  19. squash — the sport
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. current — electric
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. face — part of the head

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