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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: tube · rush · current · rash · prune · dip · last · club

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. current — happening now
  3. club — for golf
  4. dip — to sink
  5. prune — to trim
  6. club — a group
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. last — to go on
  10. current — of water
  11. rash — a series
  12. last — final
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rash — hasty
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. tube — a container
  21. last — finally
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. club — for dancing
  24. current — electric

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