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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 116 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. key — for a lock
  5. content — the amount
  6. current — electric
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. current — happening now
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. dip — to sink
  15. current — of water
  16. key — in music
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. content — happy

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