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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pop — to visit
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. last — to go on
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. staff — employees
  10. pop — music
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cold — an illness
  13. staff — employees
  14. current — happening now
  15. staff — a stick
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cold — not warm
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. last — finally
  22. pop — soda
  23. current — of water
  24. last — final

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