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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: swing · bark · present · mate · ball · roll · ruler · current

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. current — electric
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — to breed
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bark — to shout
  8. swing — to play on
  9. roll — a list
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. swing — in golf
  14. ball — a great time
  15. present — the time now
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — of water
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. present — there
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. present — a gift
  23. roll — a cake
  24. swing — music

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