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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.

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: current · ruler · cell · present · chip · spell

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. chip — for betting
  3. present — the time now
  4. current — electric
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. spell — magic
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. cell — a phone
  11. chip — to eat
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. current — of water
  14. present — a gift
  15. spell — letters
  16. cell — in biology
  17. spell — a short time
  18. current — happening now

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