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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. mine — an explosive
  2. current — happening now
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. current — electric
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. plane — a tool
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. key — in music
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. key — for a lock
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. plane — in geometry
  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