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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: wind · tube · current · rush · band · bore · squash · mug

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bore — to drill
  4. current — electric
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. current — of water
  7. wind — moving air
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. squash — the sport
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bore — to tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. mug — a cup
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. squash — to crush
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a music group
  22. tube — the underground
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mug — a face

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