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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.

Make a worksheet

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: current · hide · mine · plane · ruler · present · bear · squash

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. present — the time now
  3. squash — the sport
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. present — there
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. plane — a tool
  23. current — of water
  24. present — a gift

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