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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.

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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: ruler · charge · swing · current · sharp · wind · straw · firm

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wind — moving air
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. current — happening now
  10. charge — a price
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. wind — moving air
  14. firm — a company
  15. current — of water
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. swing — music
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. firm — steady
  21. swing — in golf
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. swing — to play on
  24. firm — decided

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