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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 · wake · mate · ruler · capital · scale · racket · fork

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wake — a trail
  5. current — electric
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — size or range
  9. capital — money
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mate — to breed
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mate — a friend
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. scale — in music
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — a city
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fork — a garden tool

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