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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. hand — in cards
  4. current — electric
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. content — happy
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. game — wild animals
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. content — the amount
  13. bear — the animal
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. perch — the fish
  16. game — a match
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bear — the animal
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. suit — clothes
  24. hand — help

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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