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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: fine · current · ruler · pass · plane · track · straw · mine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. track — to keep track
  4. fine — all right
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mine — for digging
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. track — a song
  11. current — electric
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. track — a path
  17. pass — a permit
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. current — happening now
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. current — of water
  24. ruler — for measuring

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