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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 116 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 · drill · rush · pitcher · straw · swing · current · bulb

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. current — of water
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. swing — music
  5. current — happening now
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. current — electric
  11. dip — to sink
  12. swing — to play on
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bulb — for light
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. drill — a practice
  20. rush — hurry
  21. drill — army training
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. dip — a sauce

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