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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. last — finally
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. last — to go on
  8. present — the time now
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. rush — hurry
  12. current — of water
  13. chip — to eat
  14. present — there
  15. spring — of water
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. spring — the season
  19. last — final
  20. board — a committee
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. present — a gift
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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