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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. key — in music
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. key — for a lock
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. hand — help
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. key — the most important part
  13. current — of water
  14. bear — the animal
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. hand — in cards
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. current — happening now
  24. toast — bread

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