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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — a coil
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. snap — to click
  8. hand — help
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. current — of water
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. current — electric
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. tube — the underground
  18. hand — in cards
  19. saw — the tool
  20. spring — the season
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. tube — a container
  23. current — happening now
  24. saw — the tool

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