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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 120 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 · row · squash · cue · net · fan · arm · mark

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. net — in sport
  3. cue — a signal
  4. squash — the sport
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — a trace
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. net — after costs
  12. cue — for pool
  13. net — for catching
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. current — happening now
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mark — a grade
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cue — a hint
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. row — a quarrel

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