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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. wax — to grow
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. suit — to fit
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bound — tied together
  11. current — of water
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bound — obliged
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. hand — help
  18. current — happening now
  19. suit — clothes
  20. current — electric
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bound — certain
  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