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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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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: rest · toast · stick · nail · bass · straw · court · current

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. current — electric
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. court — for sport
  5. current — happening now
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. current — of water
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. court — of law
  11. rest — what's left
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — bread
  15. bass — low music
  16. court — of a king
  17. rest — a break
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. nail — on a finger
  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