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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. current — of water
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. current — happening now
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. date — the fruit
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. current — electric
  17. march — the month
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stand — to bear
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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