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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. board — to get on
  3. clip — to cut
  4. stock — shares
  5. last — to go on
  6. clip — for paper
  7. last — finally
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. current — electric
  10. last — final
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bass — the fish
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. board — a committee
  16. current — happening now
  17. clip — a video
  18. stock — goods
  19. bass — low music
  20. current — of water
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. board — a flat piece

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