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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 120 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: temple · land · perch · current · ruler · game · stand · straw

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. stand — to bear
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. current — happening now
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. land — to come down
  7. perch — the fish
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. land — a country
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. game — a match
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. current — of water
  17. game — wild animals
  18. land — ground
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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