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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.

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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: rash · pitcher · firm · bowl · row · fan · current · pass

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. row — a line
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rash — hasty
  6. current — electric
  7. firm — decided
  8. row — to paddle
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. firm — steady
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rash — a series
  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