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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. current — electric
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. current — of water
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. capital — a city
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. current — happening now
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — money
  24. pass — to spend time

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