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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  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. current — happening now
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bulb — for light
  6. current — of water
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. firm — steady
  9. wind — moving air
  10. firm — a company
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. firm — decided
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. march — the month
  17. march — music
  18. current — electric
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. march — the month
  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