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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rush · ruler · current · craft · spell · capital · toast · stick

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. spell — a short time
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. spell — magic
  10. capital — a city
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spell — letters
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. current — happening now
  22. capital — money
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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