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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: current · racket · pitcher · ruler · tear · capital · staff · lie

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. capital — a city
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. current — electric
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. tear — from crying
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. capital — money
  18. staff — a stick
  19. tear — from crying
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. lie — to recline
  22. tear — to rip
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lie — an untruth

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