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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
468
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: row · cabinet · mate · suit · tube · race · current · squash

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. current — electric
  3. race — humankind
  4. suit — clothes
  5. current — of water
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — the arms race
  9. squash — to crush
  10. suit — in cards
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — the underground
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. current — happening now
  17. mate — to breed
  18. row — to paddle
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — a friend
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. row — a line

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