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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: dip · hide · current · firm · prune · bark · hand · rush

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. rush — hurry
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. firm — a company
  7. prune — to trim
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. firm — steady
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bark — to shout
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. hand — help
  22. dip — to sink
  23. prune — to trim
  24. firm — decided

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