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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 116 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: lie · nail · deal · suit · clip · rule · current · last

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — clothes
  4. current — electric
  5. deal — to handle
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — final
  8. current — of water
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. last — finally
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. clip — a video
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. clip — for paper
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. current — happening now
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rule — a law
  23. suit — to fit
  24. clip — to cut

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