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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. current — happening now
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. file — a document
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rule — government
  7. current — electric
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. current — of water
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. bore — to tire
  13. file — a tool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. file — a line of people
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wind — moving air
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rule — a law
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. ruler — a monarch

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