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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: fine · swing · bowl · tear · current · deal · rush · can

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — from crying
  5. swing — in golf
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rush — hurry
  8. can — a tin
  9. fine — all right
  10. swing — music
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. current — of water
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. current — happening now
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. can — a tin
  21. tear — to rip
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. current — electric
  24. deal — a big deal

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