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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: band · current · ground · arm · last · mouse · cabinet · plane

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. plane — a tool
  5. band — a ring
  6. ground — the earth
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — a position
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. last — final
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. last — finally
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. last — to go on
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. current — electric
  24. band — a music group

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