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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  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. current — electric
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. band — a ring
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cell — a phone
  12. last — to go on
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. last — final
  16. cell — in biology
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. current — of water
  20. suit — to fit
  21. current — happening now
  22. cue — a signal
  23. band — a music group
  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