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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rock — music
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bark — to shout
  12. current — electric
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. wake — a trail
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — there
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. present — a gift
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rock — a stone
  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