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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: rush · cue · cabinet · bound · current · wave · wind · bear

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cue — a hint
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wind — moving air
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. current — electric
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bound — certain
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rush — hurry
  19. current — happening now
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. wind — moving air

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