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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: kick · current · toast · ruler · bay · pop · saw · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pop — soda
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. saw — the tool
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — bread
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pop — to visit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pop — music
  16. spring — of water
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. current — of water
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. current — electric
  21. kick — in football
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. current — happening now

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