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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. rest — what's left
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rest — what's left
  5. key — for a lock
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. key — in music
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. object — a thing
  13. squash — to crush
  14. current — happening now
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. key — the most important part
  17. current — electric
  18. object — an aim
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. object — to protest
  21. rest — a break
  22. current — of water
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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