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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. current — electric
  7. last — final
  8. last — finally
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. content — happy
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rule — government
  19. mark — a grade
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. content — the amount
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rule — a law

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