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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. object — to protest
  7. key — for a lock
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — bread
  10. current — happening now
  11. key — in music
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — a trail
  14. current — electric
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. key — the most important part
  19. object — a thing
  20. track — a song
  21. chip — to eat
  22. track — a path
  23. object — an aim
  24. track — to keep track

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