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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. key — in music
  3. current — electric
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. chip — for betting
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. key — for a lock
  11. spell — a short time
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. rash — a series
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. season — in sport
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. chip — to eat
  21. season — of the year
  22. snap — to click
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. key — the most important part

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