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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stand — to bear
  7. current — happening now
  8. field — for sport
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. field — farmland
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. field — a subject
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lean — thin
  19. deal — to handle
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. lean — to bend
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. prune — the fruit
  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