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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: current · cue · land · tube · pitcher · calf · rock · rash

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. current — of water
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. land — a country
  6. cue — a hint
  7. current — electric
  8. land — ground
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. land — to come down
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rash — hasty
  21. current — happening now
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — a series

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