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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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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: band · tear · bulb · last · can · current · ruler · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. current — of water
  3. last — final
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. current — electric
  6. can — a tin
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. tear — from crying
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. tear — from crying
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ball — a great time
  13. band — a music group
  14. last — to go on
  15. bulb — for light
  16. last — finally
  17. can — to be able to
  18. current — happening now
  19. bulb — for light
  20. can — a tin
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. band — a ring
  23. tear — to rip
  24. ball — a dance

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