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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 120 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. current — happening now
  5. field — for sport
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. current — electric
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. last — finally
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. last — final
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. field — farmland
  18. field — a subject
  19. pound — a weight
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. sharp — clever
  22. last — to go on
  23. current — of water
  24. ruler — for measuring

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