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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: bowl · bat · current · suit · arm · rush · drill · roll

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. drill — the tool
  4. current — electric
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. drill — army training
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bat — the animal
  15. current — of water
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — a list
  18. drill — a practice
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. current — happening now
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. suit — to fit
  24. arm — a part of something

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