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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. mine — for digging
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mug — to rob
  5. key — in music
  6. bound — obliged
  7. key — the most important part
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bound — certain
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. current — electric
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. current — happening now
  16. mug — a face
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. current — of water
  21. bound — tied together
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fork — in a road
  24. mine — belonging to me

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