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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: plane · jam · stem · key · current · drill · date · rule

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stem — to come from
  3. plane — a tool
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. current — electric
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. key — in music
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. date — the fruit
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — a law
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. date — on the calendar

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