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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: current · cue · snap · wound · ruler · arm · face · fan

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. cue — for pool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wound — an injury
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. current — electric
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. cue — a signal
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. face — part of the head
  22. wound — an injury
  23. current — of water
  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