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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. current — electric
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. firm — steady
  12. current — happening now
  13. bore — to drill
  14. chair — a leader
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bore — to tire
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. key — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. firm — a company
  24. current — of water

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