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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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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: rush · tear · scale · current · clip · plane · stand · ruler

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rush — hurry
  3. clip — for paper
  4. current — of water
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. current — happening now
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — to cut
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. tear — from crying
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. tear — to rip
  20. stand — to bear
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. tear — from crying
  24. plane — a tool

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