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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tube — a container
  3. current — of water
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. current — electric
  7. spell — letters
  8. last — to go on
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. spell — a short time
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. last — final
  13. last — finally
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. tube — the underground
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. current — happening now
  20. spell — magic
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. tube — in a tire

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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