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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: rule · pound · current · stick · firm · bat · plane · rush

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — the animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rush — hurry
  7. firm — steady
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rule — government
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. current — happening now
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. firm — decided
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rule — a law
  20. current — electric
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. firm — a company
  24. pound — for dogs

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