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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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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: fall · kick · current · wave · wind · ruler

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. current — happening now
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wind — moving air
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kick — in football
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fall — the season
  14. current — electric
  15. wind — moving air
  16. current — of water
  17. fall — to drop
  18. kick — a thrill

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