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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. current — happening now
  4. can — a tin
  5. dip — to sink
  6. key — for a lock
  7. can — a tin
  8. fork — in a road
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. key — the most important part
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. current — electric
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. key — in music
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rush — hurry
  22. can — to be able to
  23. current — of water
  24. rush — a thrill

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