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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. last — to go on
  3. band — a ring
  4. firm — steady
  5. drill — army training
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. last — finally
  8. firm — decided
  9. current — happening now
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. current — electric
  12. branch — a division
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. suit — clothes
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. firm — a company
  17. band — a music group
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. last — final
  20. suit — in cards
  21. drill — the tool
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. suit — to fit
  24. current — of water

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