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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 120 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: dip · ruler · straw · fine · current · chair · mark · kick

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. current — happening now
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. current — electric
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. fine — high quality
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. current — of water
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fine — all right
  19. mark — a trace
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — with a leg

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