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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 · shower · plane · firm · bowl · wound · cue · rest

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cue — a hint
  8. current — electric
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. firm — steady
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. current — happening now
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — a company
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. shower — to wash
  20. plane — a tool
  21. current — of water
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. firm — decided
  24. rest — what's left

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