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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: row · fine · current · band · rash · racket · bay · pound

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. band — a music group
  3. row — to paddle
  4. rash — hasty
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. row — a line
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. current — of water
  9. band — a ring
  10. fine — all right
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rash — a series
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fine — high quality
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. rash — on the skin

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