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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: pass · bark · cue · current · wind · pop · swing · roll

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pass — a permit
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. swing — music
  6. pop — music
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. current — happening now
  10. swing — in golf
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wind — moving air
  13. swing — to play on
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. roll — a list
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cue — for pool
  20. current — electric
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. wind — moving air

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