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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bank — for money
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mine — for digging
  7. current — of water
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bank — of a river
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. current — happening now
  18. pitch — completely
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bank — for money
  21. scale — in music
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. current — electric
  24. deal — an agreement

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