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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 120 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: rock · tube · current · racket · stem · row · dip · charge

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. rock — music
  3. dip — to sink
  4. current — electric
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. row — a line
  8. tube — a container
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — a stone
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. charge — electricity
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. charge — a price
  16. current — of water
  17. stem — to come from
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. current — happening now
  22. charge — in control
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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