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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: nail · ruler · rush · ball · staff · last · kick · current

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. last — finally
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. last — to go on
  7. current — happening now
  8. staff — employees
  9. current — electric
  10. rush — hurry
  11. staff — employees
  12. current — of water
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. last — final
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. staff — a stick
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. ball — a great time
  24. nail — for a hammer

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