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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. current — happening now
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hand — help
  7. staff — employees
  8. bat — the animal
  9. staff — employees
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. current — of water
  16. hand — in cards
  17. staff — a stick
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. current — electric
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. track — a song
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. hand — part of the body

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