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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: pitcher · wind · current · perch · rush · chip · ruler · club

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. current — of water
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. wind — moving air
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rush — hurry
  14. club — for golf
  15. chip — for betting
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. perch — the fish
  19. club — a group
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. chip — to eat
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wind — moving air

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