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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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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: current · wind · rock · stick · chip · race · pass · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. race — the arms race
  3. current — happening now
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. current — of water
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wind — moving air
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. race — a contest
  10. pass — a permit
  11. chip — to eat
  12. race — humankind
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wind — moving air
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. chip — for betting
  19. current — electric
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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