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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. spring — of water
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spring — a coil
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. current — of water
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. spring — the season
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. present — a gift
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. current — electric
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. current — happening now
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. present — there
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. branch — a division
  24. present — the time now

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