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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. club — a group
  3. current — electric
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rock — a stone
  9. club — for golf
  10. current — happening now
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pop — music
  13. rock — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. object — an aim
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. club — for dancing
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pop — soda
  24. current — of water

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