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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: toast · fine · rash · track · pitcher · current · face · ruler

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. fine — all right
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. face — to confront
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. current — happening now
  12. track — a path
  13. face — part of the head
  14. current — of water
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. current — electric
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. track — a song
  20. face — to point toward
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. toast — bread
  23. track — to keep track
  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