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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: mouse · rush · kid · stick · dip · ball · nail · current

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. current — of water
  6. kid — to tease
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. kid — child
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. dip — to sink
  20. current — happening now
  21. ball — a great time
  22. current — electric
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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