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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: temple · ruler · lash · current · fall · pit · scale · capital

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. capital — a city
  6. capital — money
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. scale — in music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. current — happening now
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. current — electric
  14. fall — the season
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. scale — size or range
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pit — a hole
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pit — in a race
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. fall — to drop

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