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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. track — a song
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. spell — letters
  6. fine — all right
  7. track — to keep track
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fine — high quality
  11. spell — magic
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. spell — a short time
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. track — a path
  19. current — happening now
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. current — of water
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. deal — to handle
  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