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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. row — a line
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pit — in a race
  8. rash — a series
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. object — an aim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pit — a hole
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. object — a thing
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. current — happening now
  23. object — to protest
  24. rash — hasty

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