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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. current — electric
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rest — a break
  5. current — of water
  6. object — to protest
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. object — a thing
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cap — a hat
  14. current — happening now
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rule — government
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. object — an aim
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rule — a law

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