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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: current · coach · tube · wake · firm · mouse · mine · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. current — electric
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — a container
  5. wake — a trail
  6. firm — decided
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. current — of water
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. firm — a company
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. firm — steady
  19. mine — for digging
  20. current — happening now
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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