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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. current — happening now
  3. cold — not warm
  4. bank — for money
  5. object — a thing
  6. pass — a permit
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cold — an illness
  9. object — an aim
  10. current — of water
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bound — certain
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bound — obliged
  16. object — to protest
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bank — for money
  21. current — electric
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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