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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: object · ruler · cold · current · temple · squash · toast · pitch

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. current — of water
  3. object — to protest
  4. squash — the sport
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. current — electric
  10. object — an aim
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. object — a thing
  13. toast — bread
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. current — happening now
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. pitch — completely
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cold — not warm
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cold — an illness
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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