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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: current · present · racket · roll · bear · shower · bowl · toast

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. current — of water
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bear — the animal
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. present — the time now
  8. shower — rain
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. roll — a cake
  12. current — electric
  13. bear — the animal
  14. shower — to wash
  15. present — a gift
  16. toast — bread
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. roll — a list
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. current — happening now
  23. present — there
  24. roll — on a roll

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