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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: pitch · rush · last · current · nail · fork · band · mate

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. last — finally
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fork — in a road
  5. last — final
  6. pitch — completely
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mate — to breed
  9. current — electric
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. rush — hurry
  13. current — happening now
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. band — a ring
  19. current — of water
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. band — a music group
  22. mate — a friend
  23. last — to go on
  24. mate — a partner

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