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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · rule · current · temple · date · plane · object · fine

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. rule — government
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rule — a law
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. current — of water
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. object — an aim
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. object — to protest
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. object — a thing
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. current — electric
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. plane — a tool

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