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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. current — electric
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. deal — to handle
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. current — happening now
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mark — a grade
  11. land — a country
  12. land — ground
  13. current — of water
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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