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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bank — for money
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. key — the most important part
  5. current — happening now
  6. object — a thing
  7. bank — of a river
  8. object — an aim
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of law
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. object — to protest
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bank — for money
  16. key — in music
  17. board — a committee
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. current — electric
  21. board — to get on
  22. current — of water
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. key — for a lock

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