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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. scale — size or range
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. degree — from a university
  7. current — happening now
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. current — electric
  10. squash — the sport
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. scale — in music
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. current — of water
  17. squash — to crush
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — temperature
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. temple — a place of worship

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