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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: dip · last · pitcher · racket · current · file · hide · fan

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. file — a line of people
  3. current — happening now
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. last — to go on
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. last — final
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. file — a document
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. dip — to sink
  15. file — a tool
  16. last — finally
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. current — of water
  24. pitcher — a jug

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