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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: fan · pop · rush · bay · net · key · current · pass

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. net — for catching
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pop — music
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. current — electric
  8. pop — to visit
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. current — of water
  17. pop — soda
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — in sport
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. key — in music
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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