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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. rule — government
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — there
  5. cap — of ice
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. object — to protest
  8. present — the time now
  9. object — an aim
  10. current — of water
  11. drill — army training
  12. object — a thing
  13. drill — a practice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. sharp — clever
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. present — a gift
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. cap — a hat
  21. current — electric
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. drill — the tool
  24. rule — a law

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