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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
468
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: scale · lean · bore · straw · object · rule · current · chest

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. current — of water
  3. lean — to bend
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bore — to tire
  8. chest — of your body
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rule — a law
  11. scale — size or range
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. chest — a box
  16. object — to protest
  17. current — happening now
  18. scale — in music
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bore — to drill
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. current — electric

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