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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: current · toast · foot · object · bat · bound · mark · fine

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. foot — a measure
  4. current — happening now
  5. object — an aim
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bound — tied together
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bound — certain
  12. bat — the animal
  13. mark — a trace
  14. fine — high quality
  15. object — to protest
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. object — a thing
  19. toast — bread
  20. fine — all right
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. current — of water
  24. foot — part of the body

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