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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: roll · mine · ruler · wax · jam · lean · current · hand

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. current — happening now
  4. roll — a list
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lean — thin
  10. mine — for digging
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. roll — a cake
  15. hand — in cards
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. current — of water
  18. current — electric
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. hand — help
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. jam — in traffic

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