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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: tube · race · current · ruler · scale · firm · spell · board

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. spell — a short time
  3. current — of water
  4. race — humankind
  5. firm — decided
  6. tube — a container
  7. scale — size or range
  8. firm — a company
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. current — electric
  12. spell — letters
  13. board — to get on
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. spell — magic
  16. tube — the underground
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — in music
  19. board — a committee
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. race — the arms race
  22. firm — steady
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. race — a contest

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