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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. chest — a box
  3. current — happening now
  4. key — in music
  5. object — an aim
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. key — for a lock
  8. tear — from crying
  9. key — the most important part
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. tear — from crying
  12. chest — of your body
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. current — electric
  15. tear — to rip
  16. mark — a trace
  17. object — a thing
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. object — to protest
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mark — a grade
  24. chest — of your body

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