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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: race · bound · ruler · dip · bass · nail · current · plane

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. race — a contest
  5. bound — obliged
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. race — humankind
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bass — low music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bound — tied together
  12. current — of water
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bound — certain
  18. plane — a tool
  19. race — the arms race
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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