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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: current · craft · degree · nail · date · toast · ruler · lean

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. current — electric
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — from a university
  6. lean — thin
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. current — of water
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lean — to bend
  17. degree — an amount
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. craft — boats
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. current — happening now
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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