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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: current · mouse · chip · face · tube · ruler · land · temple

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. current — happening now
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. face — to point toward
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. face — to confront
  9. land — a country
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. land — ground
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. tube — a container
  14. current — electric
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. land — to come down
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. current — of water

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