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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.

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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. rule — a law
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. current — happening now
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pitch — completely
  13. current — of water
  14. key — in music
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. current — electric
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. key — for a lock
  19. board — to get on
  20. fork — in a road
  21. board — a committee
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — a hole

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