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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mark — a grade
  7. current — of water
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rest — what's left
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rest — a break
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. current — happening now
  21. scale — in music
  22. rest — what's left
  23. current — electric
  24. mark — a trace

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