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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. current — happening now
  3. court — of law
  4. current — electric
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. current — of water
  7. key — the most important part
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. key — in music
  10. track — a song
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. object — a thing
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. track — to keep track
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. track — a path
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. key — for a lock
  23. object — an aim
  24. ruler — for measuring

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