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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bound — certain
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. craft — boats
  5. game — a match
  6. rule — a law
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. current — happening now
  9. shower — rain
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bound — obliged
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lean — thin
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rule — government
  18. game — wild animals
  19. current — of water
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lean — to bend
  23. shower — to wash
  24. lean — to rest against

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