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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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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cue — a hint
  4. key — for a lock
  5. mug — a face
  6. degree — temperature
  7. current — electric
  8. spring — the season
  9. degree — from a university
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. key — in music
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. current — happening now
  17. degree — an amount
  18. spring — a coil
  19. mug — to rob
  20. key — the most important part
  21. spring — of water
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. current — of water

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