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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. current — happening now
  3. march — the month
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bat — the animal
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. current — of water
  10. last — final
  11. march — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. current — electric
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rock — music
  19. march — the month
  20. rock — a stone
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. last — finally

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