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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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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: wake · nail · foot · mouse · date · last · current · lean

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. last — to go on
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. foot — a measure
  10. current — of water
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. last — finally
  19. last — final
  20. current — happening now
  21. wake — a trail
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lean — thin
  24. current — electric

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