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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. key — in music
  3. sharp — clever
  4. rest — a break
  5. deal — to handle
  6. current — electric
  7. prune — to trim
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. current — of water
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. wind — moving air
  14. key — the most important part
  15. firm — decided
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wind — moving air
  19. current — happening now
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rest — what's left
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. key — for a lock

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