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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.

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: ruler · deal · squash · stand · mate · current · board · rash

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mate — a partner
  3. current — electric
  4. board — a committee
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. current — of water
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. squash — the sport
  12. mate — a friend
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mate — to breed
  16. squash — to crush
  17. rash — hasty
  18. deal — to handle
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. current — happening now
  21. board — to get on
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stand — on your feet

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