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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. squash — the sport
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. current — happening now
  9. rock — music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. key — in music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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