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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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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. current — of water
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. bat — the animal
  7. pass — a permit
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. current — electric
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. current — happening now
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. band — a music group
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. band — a ring
  24. coach — a trainer

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