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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. ball — a great time
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wake — a trail
  8. date — the fruit
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. tube — the underground
  16. current — of water
  17. tube — a container
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. current — happening now
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pitcher — a jug

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