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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pop — music
  3. shower — rain
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. shower — to wash
  9. court — of law
  10. cap — a hat
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. present — a gift
  13. court — for sport
  14. cap — of ice
  15. current — of water
  16. cap — a lid
  17. present — the time now
  18. current — happening now
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. court — of a king
  22. pop — soda
  23. present — there
  24. bowl — to roll

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