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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.

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: tube · scale · lie · swing · ruler · trunk · current · stand

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. tube — the underground
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. tube — a container
  6. swing — music
  7. current — of water
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. stand — to bear
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. lie — to recline
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. current — happening now
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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