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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: roll · fine · fall · arm · drill · mug · current · object

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. object — to protest
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. mug — to rob
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fall — the season
  10. object — a thing
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fine — all right
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. current — electric
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fall — to drop
  18. drill — the tool
  19. object — an aim
  20. mug — a face
  21. drill — a practice
  22. fall — to drop
  23. drill — army training
  24. fine — high quality

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