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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: bulb · craft · nail · rush · ruler · land · date · current

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. craft — boats
  6. current — electric
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. date — the fruit
  11. land — a country
  12. current — of water
  13. current — happening now
  14. rush — hurry
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. land — ground
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. land — to come down
  24. nail — on a finger

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