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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 116 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: current · ruler · land · content · mark · bank · field · rule

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mark — a grade
  4. current — of water
  5. land — to come down
  6. rule — a law
  7. bank — for money
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — happy
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. land — a country
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. field — farmland
  15. mark — a trace
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. land — ground
  18. current — electric
  19. rule — government
  20. bank — for money
  21. field — for sport
  22. current — happening now
  23. field — a subject
  24. rule — to rule out

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