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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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468
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: rush · racket · kick · ruler · stand · net · arm · current

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. current — of water
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. current — electric
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — in sport
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. net — after costs
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. current — happening now

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