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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: bat · drill · stem · toast · nail · ruler · current · snap

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to click
  4. drill — army training
  5. current — happening now
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stem — to come from
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. toast — bread
  19. bat — the animal
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — a practice

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