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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · current · racket · vault · cue · ground · track · clip

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. ground — the earth
  3. vault — a safe
  4. current — electric
  5. cue — for pool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. ground — a position
  9. clip — to cut
  10. current — of water
  11. cue — a signal
  12. clip — a video
  13. track — a path
  14. cue — a hint
  15. clip — for paper
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. current — happening now
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. track — to keep track
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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