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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: ruler · hand · current · mate · lean · rash · can · present

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. mate — a friend
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mate — to breed
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. current — electric
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. present — there
  12. hand — help
  13. current — happening now
  14. can — to be able to
  15. current — of water
  16. rash — a series
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. can — a tin
  19. present — the time now
  20. hand — in cards
  21. lean — thin
  22. present — a gift
  23. can — a tin
  24. ruler — a monarch

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