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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: fan · bowl · current · club · saw · rock · tear · firm

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. current — electric
  3. club — for dancing
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. firm — steady
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. current — of water
  8. tear — to rip
  9. club — a group
  10. firm — a company
  11. rock — music
  12. current — happening now
  13. club — for golf
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. firm — decided
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rock — a stone

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