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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 124 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. mate — a friend
  6. chip — for betting
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. current — happening now
  9. degree — an amount
  10. ball — a dance
  11. degree — temperature
  12. current — electric
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. wound — an injury
  16. degree — from a university
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mate — to breed
  22. current — of water
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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