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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: present · dip · current · rash · suit · date · land · ruler

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rash — hasty
  6. current — of water
  7. present — the time now
  8. dip — to sink
  9. suit — in cards
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rash — a series
  12. current — happening now
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. land — a country
  15. current — electric
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. suit — clothes
  18. present — a gift
  19. suit — to fit
  20. date — the fruit
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. land — ground
  24. present — there

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