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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · current · swing · temple · field · craft

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. current — electric
  3. craft — a skill
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. current — of water
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. field — farmland
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. swing — in golf
  12. field — a subject
  13. craft — boats
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. current — happening now
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. swing — music
  18. field — for sport

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