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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: last · current · pop · stand · ground · fine · ruler · spring

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pop — music
  3. last — finally
  4. current — electric
  5. pop — to visit
  6. current — happening now
  7. spring — a coil
  8. stand — to bear
  9. fine — all right
  10. last — to go on
  11. ground — crushed
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — of water
  14. last — final
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — the earth
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. current — of water
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pop — soda

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