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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. hand — help
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ball — a dance
  7. current — happening now
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. current — of water
  10. hand — in cards
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. scale — in music
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. ball — a great time
  18. scale — size or range

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