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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. kick — in football
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. firm — decided
  12. spell — letters
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spell — a short time
  15. current — electric
  16. firm — a company
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. spell — magic
  21. hand — help
  22. firm — steady
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. current — of water

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