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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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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. current — electric
  3. mug — a face
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. current — of water
  7. mug — to rob
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. current — happening now
  11. key — in music
  12. rule — a law
  13. mug — a cup
  14. can — a tin
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. can — a tin
  17. foot — a measure
  18. can — to be able to

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