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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. row — a line
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. saw — the tool
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rest — what's left
  10. current — happening now
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. suit — clothes
  15. row — to paddle
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rest — a break
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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