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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mouse · shower · bound · pitcher · dip · plane · kick · current

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. current — of water
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. dip — to sink
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. shower — rain
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. plane — a tool
  24. kick — with a leg

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