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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bass — low music
  3. prune — to trim
  4. object — a thing
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. craft — boats
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. current — electric
  10. object — to protest
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pound — a weight
  15. current — of water
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. object — an aim
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. craft — a skill
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. current — happening now
  24. prune — to trim

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