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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
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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: kick · swing · land · content · current · hide · mug · ruler

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. land — a country
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. land — to come down
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — to play on
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. mug — a cup
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. current — electric
  13. mug — to rob
  14. land — ground
  15. swing — music
  16. current — of water
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mug — a face
  20. kick — in football
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — happy
  23. current — happening now
  24. ruler — for measuring

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