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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: pop · saw · clip · key · fine · march · ruler · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fine — high quality
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. clip — to cut
  6. ball — a dance
  7. saw — the tool
  8. key — in music
  9. pop — soda
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. clip — for paper
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. march — the month
  18. clip — a video
  19. fine — all right
  20. march — music
  21. ball — a great time
  22. march — the month
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fine — a penalty

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