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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: present · rash · cue · object · fan · current · track · mark

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. present — there
  5. current — of water
  6. mark — a trace
  7. cue — a hint
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rash — a series
  13. present — the time now
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — an aim
  16. track — to keep track
  17. current — electric
  18. track — a song
  19. object — to protest
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. current — happening now
  22. present — a gift
  23. track — a path
  24. mark — to pay attention

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