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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: current · ruler · ground · fork · stand · pound

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. current — happening now
  8. ground — a position
  9. current — electric
  10. fork — in a road
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pound — a weight
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. pound — to hit hard

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