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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 116 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. current — of water
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rule — government
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. wake — a trail
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mine — for digging
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. ball — a dance
  15. current — electric
  16. cap — a lid
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. cap — of ice
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. ball — a great time
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rule — a law
  23. current — happening now
  24. mine — belonging to me

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