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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · current · rule · fine · last · craft

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. last — finally
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rule — government
  9. last — final
  10. rule — a law
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. last — to go on
  13. race — a contest
  14. fine — all right
  15. race — humankind
  16. craft — a skill
  17. race — the arms race
  18. craft — boats

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