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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. current — happening now
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bulb — for light
  7. degree — from a university
  8. key — for a lock
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — after costs
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. net — in sport
  13. key — in music
  14. current — electric
  15. degree — an amount
  16. perch — the fish
  17. current — of water
  18. bulb — for light
  19. degree — temperature
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. key — the most important part

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