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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: deal · clip · stand · current · land · ruler · fan · sharp

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stand — to bear
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. land — ground
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. clip — a video
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. land — to come down
  18. clip — to cut
  19. deal — to handle
  20. clip — for paper
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. land — a country
  23. current — happening now
  24. fan — to cool the air

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