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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cell — a phone
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. swing — music
  10. current — electric
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. cell — in biology
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. current — of water
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cue — a signal

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