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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: fine · current · band · roll · toast · row · mouse · fan

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. roll — a list
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — bread
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. fine — all right
  13. band — a ring
  14. current — electric
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. current — of water
  18. band — a music group
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. current — happening now
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. row — to paddle

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