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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: temple · squash · present · coach · pitcher · ruler · stock · current

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. present — a gift
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. stock — shares
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. squash — the vegetable

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