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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pitch — completely
  4. tear — from crying
  5. current — of water
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. last — finally
  9. wind — moving air
  10. roll — a list
  11. current — happening now
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. roll — a cake
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. current — electric
  17. tear — to rip
  18. last — to go on
  19. chest — a box
  20. last — final
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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