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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 120 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: key · saw · court · sharp · ruler · safe · board · current

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. saw — the tool
  3. current — of water
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. court — for sport
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. key — in music
  8. board — to get on
  9. court — of a king
  10. sharp — clever
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. board — a committee
  19. key — the most important part
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. key — for a lock
  24. safe — out of danger

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