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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. current — happening now
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. current — of water
  11. spring — of water
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. cap — a hat
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. current — electric
  22. cap — of ice
  23. club — for dancing
  24. cap — a lid

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