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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: current · rock · bound · march · rest · deal · snap · mug

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. march — the month
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. march — the month
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mug — a face
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. snap — to click
  9. deal — to handle
  10. march — music
  11. rock — music
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. current — electric
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. current — happening now
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rock — a stone
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mug — a cup

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