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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: track · current · rule · nail · can · plane · bulb · prune

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. can — to be able to
  4. current — happening now
  5. track — a song
  6. current — electric
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. current — of water
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rule — a law
  13. track — to keep track
  14. can — a tin
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. prune — to trim
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. plane — a tool
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. can — a tin
  24. track — a path

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