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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cabinet · spring · rush · mouse · current · bear · suit · roll

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bear — the animal
  4. current — happening now
  5. spring — the season
  6. current — electric
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. suit — clothes
  10. spring — a coil
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. spring — of water
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. roll — a list
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. suit — to fit
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bear — the animal
  21. roll — a cake
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mouse — for a computer

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