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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. present — a gift
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. board — to get on
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. spell — magic
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bore — to drill
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bore — to tire
  13. present — there
  14. current — electric
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. game — wild animals
  19. current — of water
  20. present — the time now
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. game — a match
  23. board — a committee
  24. game — a kind of play

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