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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — for a lock
  7. club — for golf
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. club — for dancing
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. club — a group
  16. current — electric
  17. wax — to grow
  18. current — happening now
  19. rash — hasty
  20. current — of water
  21. key — in music
  22. rash — a series
  23. pop — to visit
  24. snap — to click

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