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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bulb — for light
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bulb — for light
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pop — music
  12. current — happening now
  13. pop — soda
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pitch — completely
  16. key — in music
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. hand — help
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. current — of water
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bulb — of a plant

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