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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: sharp · pop · dip · current · bank · field · last · ruler

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. field — farmland
  3. dip — to sink
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. current — electric
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. current — of water
  11. bank — for money
  12. last — final
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. last — to go on
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pop — soda
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bank — of a river
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — for sport
  22. bank — for money
  23. last — finally
  24. current — happening now

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