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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: bass · suit · last · bore · current · nail · land · cell

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. current — happening now
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bass — the fish
  8. suit — to fit
  9. last — to go on
  10. cell — a phone
  11. last — finally
  12. current — of water
  13. land — a country
  14. suit — in cards
  15. land — to come down
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bass — low music
  18. current — electric
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. land — ground
  21. bore — to tire
  22. cell — in biology
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bore — to drill

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