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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 · toast · rush · roll · craft · rule · drill · current

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. rush — hurry
  3. current — happening now
  4. roll — a cake
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. current — of water
  7. craft — a skill
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. roll — a list
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. drill — army training
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. drill — a practice
  19. rule — a law
  20. toast — bread
  21. plane — a tool
  22. current — electric
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. rule — government

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