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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 116 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — to visit
  5. key — in music
  6. rest — a break
  7. firm — steady
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. rest — what's left
  10. firm — decided
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. rest — what's left
  14. key — the most important part
  15. current — electric
  16. pop — music
  17. firm — a company
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. current — of water
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. key — for a lock
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rush — hurry

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