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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mine — for digging
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pound — a weight
  6. current — of water
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rest — a break
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. spell — letters
  17. current — happening now
  18. deal — to handle
  19. charge — electricity
  20. current — electric
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pound — to hit hard

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