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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. key — in music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. board — a committee
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. board — to get on
  11. key — the most important part
  12. court — of a king
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. court — for sport
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — in cards
  21. key — for a lock
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. court — of law
  24. ruler — a monarch

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