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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
468
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: pop · pitcher · tube · current · mouse · lash · foot · stick

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. tube — the underground
  5. current — electric
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pop — music
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. foot — a measure
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pop — soda
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. tube — a container
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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