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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: chip · current · roll · saw · club · rush · hand · leaves

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — in cards
  3. chip — to eat
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. hand — help
  8. club — for golf
  9. roll — a cake
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. chip — for betting
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. saw — the tool
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. roll — a list
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. club — for dancing
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. current — electric
  24. club — a group

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