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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: bear · suit · bat · current · snap · file · land · ruler

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. land — a country
  4. current — of water
  5. bear — the animal
  6. current — happening now
  7. land — to come down
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. file — a document
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. land — ground
  15. current — electric
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. suit — clothes
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bat — the animal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. snap — to click
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ruler — for measuring

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