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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rule — government
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rule — a law
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. current — electric
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. current — happening now
  15. squash — the sport
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. current — of water
  18. key — for a lock
  19. fine — all right
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fine — high quality
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. squash — the vegetable

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