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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 116 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
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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: game · hand · field · current · pop · present · ruler · mark

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. present — a gift
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. field — for sport
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. mark — a trace
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hand — help
  10. game — wild animals
  11. mark — a grade
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pop — to visit
  14. game — a match
  15. field — farmland
  16. pop — soda
  17. hand — in cards
  18. present — the time now
  19. field — a subject
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. present — there
  24. pop — music

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