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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bass — the fish
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. capital — a city
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. foot — a measure
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. tube — the underground
  18. capital — money
  19. current — electric
  20. tube — a container
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bass — low music

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