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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stem — to come from
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. charge — in control
  9. fork — in a road
  10. current — happening now
  11. degree — temperature
  12. current — of water
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. degree — from a university
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. chair — a leader
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. current — electric
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. degree — an amount

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