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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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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. key — the most important part
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. key — in music
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. chest — a box
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chest — of your body
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. current — of water
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mark — a trace
  16. key — for a lock
  17. current — electric
  18. rush — hurry
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. chest — of your body
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. date — the fruit
  24. suit — clothes

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