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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rock — music
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. key — in music
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. key — for a lock
  14. current — electric
  15. bore — to drill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rock — a stone
  18. current — happening now
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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