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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. current — of water
  3. key — in music
  4. current — happening now
  5. pit — a hole
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pit — in a race
  9. key — for a lock
  10. object — a thing
  11. kid — to tease
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. object — an aim
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. chip — to eat
  19. content — the amount
  20. chip — for betting
  21. kid — child
  22. content — happy
  23. current — electric
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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