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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: suit · deal · saw · current · mine · shower · rush · cap

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. cap — a lid
  7. rush — hurry
  8. saw — the tool
  9. current — electric
  10. current — of water
  11. shower — rain
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. cap — a hat
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mine — for digging
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cap — of ice
  20. current — happening now
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rush — a thrill

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