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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · firm · pitcher · current · last · ruler · spring · stand

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. last — final
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. last — finally
  5. can — to be able to
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. can — a tin
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. spring — the season
  10. can — a tin
  11. current — happening now
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. current — electric
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. firm — decided
  18. stand — to bear
  19. spring — a coil
  20. firm — a company
  21. last — to go on
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. firm — steady
  24. spring — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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