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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: march · jam · roll · snap · race · firm · nail · current

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. current — of water
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. race — the arms race
  5. snap — to click
  6. march — music
  7. current — happening now
  8. firm — steady
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. march — the month
  12. race — a contest
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. current — electric
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. race — humankind
  19. march — the month
  20. firm — a company
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. firm — decided
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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