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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. current — electric
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. key — the most important part
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — of water
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. branch — a division
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. kick — in football
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. key — in music
  24. current — happening now

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