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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: bore · spring · current · ruler · file · deal · cue · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. current — electric
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cue — a hint
  5. roll — a cake
  6. spring — of water
  7. file — a tool
  8. spring — the season
  9. current — happening now
  10. file — a line of people
  11. deal — to handle
  12. roll — a list
  13. bore — to tire
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. file — a document
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bore — to drill
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spring — a coil
  22. current — of water
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cue — a signal

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