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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 116 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 · dip · degree · current · fork · band · can · bowl

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. fork — in a road
  3. degree — from a university
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. current — happening now
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. current — of water
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — an amount
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. current — electric
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fork — to eat with

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