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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  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. chair — a leader
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. mug — a face
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. mug — to rob
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. current — of water
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. mug — a cup
  19. staff — employees
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. perch — the fish
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. staff — employees
  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