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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: track · lean · rule · race · date · nail · rush · current

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. track — a path
  4. current — of water
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. track — to keep track
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — happening now
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. track — a song
  15. race — humankind
  16. rush — hurry
  17. date — the fruit
  18. race — a contest
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. current — electric
  21. rule — government
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rule — a law
  24. race — the arms race

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