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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
468
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: swing · current · racket · last · date · shower · ruler · bass

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. shower — to wash
  3. date — the fruit
  4. last — final
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bass — the fish
  8. swing — music
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. swing — to play on
  12. current — electric
  13. last — finally
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. shower — rain
  17. last — to go on
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. current — of water
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bass — low music
  23. current — happening now
  24. ruler — for measuring

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