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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 116 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: current · stand · last · ruler · band · pop · rest · tear

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. last — to go on
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. tear — to rip
  7. band — a music group
  8. tear — from crying
  9. current — of water
  10. stand — to bear
  11. band — a ring
  12. tear — from crying
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pop — to visit
  18. last — final
  19. current — happening now
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — soda
  22. last — finally
  23. band — a rubber band
  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