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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.

Make a worksheet

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: present · current · face · mine · spell · ruler · board · chair

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — a gift
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. spell — magic
  8. face — to confront
  9. current — of water
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. board — a committee
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. spell — letters
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. face — part of the head
  20. mine — for digging
  21. face — to point toward
  22. chair — a leader
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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