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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: pop · current · drill · present · mug · race · pound · bat

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pop — music
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. drill — the tool
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. current — electric
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — soda
  12. current — of water
  13. pound — a weight
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. current — happening now
  19. present — there
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bat — the animal
  23. race — a contest
  24. mug — a face

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