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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. spell — a short time
  3. current — happening now
  4. stem — to come from
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. current — electric
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. net — for catching
  11. key — in music
  12. current — of water
  13. spell — letters
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. spell — magic
  17. net — in sport
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. cue — a hint
  20. net — after costs
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. key — the most important part
  24. rush — a thrill

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