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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. roll — a cake
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — moving air
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. current — of water
  13. land — ground
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. roll — a list
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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