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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: ruler · content · current · pound · wake · patient · ball · roll

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a great time
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. content — happy
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. roll — a list
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — electric
  19. content — the amount
  20. pound — a weight
  21. ball — a dance
  22. roll — a cake
  23. current — of water
  24. pound — to hit hard

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