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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: object · arm · nail · mate · current · last · mark · wind

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. object — an aim
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. current — electric
  6. last — final
  7. mate — a friend
  8. current — happening now
  9. object — to protest
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. current — of water
  14. mate — a partner
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. last — finally
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mark — a grade
  22. last — to go on
  23. wind — moving air
  24. object — a thing

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