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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. deal — to handle
  3. current — happening now
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. last — to go on
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. last — finally
  11. object — an aim
  12. current — electric
  13. object — a thing
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mark — a grade
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. last — final
  21. object — to protest
  22. current — of water
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mark — a trace

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