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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: saw · tube · kick · fan · coach · squash · current · suit

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. saw — the tool
  3. tube — a container
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. tube — the underground
  6. current — electric
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. current — happening now
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. current — of water
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. suit — in cards
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. squash — to crush
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. squash — the sport
  24. tube — in a tire

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