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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 120 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: ruler · rush · plane · nail · saw · current · band · calf

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. current — electric
  3. saw — the tool
  4. band — a music group
  5. band — a ring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rush — hurry
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rush — to hurry
  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