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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. current — of water
  3. spell — letters
  4. court — of law
  5. key — for a lock
  6. current — electric
  7. court — for sport
  8. spell — magic
  9. fine — high quality
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. spell — a short time
  13. fine — all right
  14. key — in music
  15. march — the month
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. current — happening now
  20. march — the month
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. court — of a king
  23. march — music
  24. fine — a penalty

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