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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.

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: fork · present · ruler · degree · fan · wave · march · current

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fork — in a road
  3. current — electric
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. present — there
  8. march — the month
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. current — of water
  13. current — happening now
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. march — the month
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. march — music
  18. degree — an amount
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. present — a gift
  22. degree — temperature
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. degree — from a university

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