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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. fall — to drop
  7. march — the month
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. march — music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fall — the season
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. current — of water
  20. fall — to drop
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. saw — the tool
  23. march — the month
  24. key — in 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