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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. current — electric
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bear — the animal
  5. hand — help
  6. spell — magic
  7. current — of water
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. current — happening now
  15. bear — the animal
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. club — for golf
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bank — for money
  20. hand — in cards
  21. club — a group
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. spell — letters

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