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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: snap · rest · pitcher · fine · tube · lean · rash · current

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tube — a container
  5. rest — a break
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rest — what's left
  9. current — happening now
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. rash — hasty
  13. snap — to click
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lean — thin
  20. current — electric
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. tube — the underground

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