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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. hand — in cards
  4. spell — magic
  5. snap — to click
  6. bank — for money
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spell — letters
  9. court — for sport
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bank — for money
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hand — help
  14. court — of a king
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. spell — a short time
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bass — low music
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bass — the fish
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. court — of law
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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