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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. current — happening now
  4. bound — certain
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. shower — rain
  9. pitch — completely
  10. current — electric
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bound — tied together
  14. current — of water
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bound — obliged
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. shower — to wash
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. sharp — clever
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — for measuring

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