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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: dip · rest · swing · spell · rush · board · current · stick

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. spell — a short time
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rest — what's left
  6. spell — letters
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. current — happening now
  12. board — to get on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. current — electric
  16. dip — to sink
  17. current — of water
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rest — a break
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rest — what's left
  22. spell — magic
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. board — a committee

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