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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. file — a document
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. key — the most important part
  5. current — happening now
  6. present — a gift
  7. suit — clothes
  8. current — of water
  9. present — the time now
  10. key — for a lock
  11. suit — to fit
  12. key — in music
  13. present — there
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. file — a tool
  17. current — electric
  18. suit — in cards

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