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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. rock — music
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. current — electric
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. last — to go on
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. date — the fruit
  10. current — happening now
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. current — of water
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. last — final
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. rock — a stone
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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