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

Word bank: object · chip · rest · current · ruler · pound

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rest — a break
  4. current — happening now
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — a thing
  7. pound — a weight
  8. current — of water
  9. object — an aim
  10. current — electric
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. chip — for betting
  13. rest — what's left
  14. object — to protest
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pound — for dogs

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