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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bound — certain
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. net — after costs
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bound — tied together
  10. net — for catching
  11. bound — obliged
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. current — happening now
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rush — hurry
  21. chip — to eat
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. chip — for betting
  24. temple — side of the head

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