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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. key — in music
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. key — for a lock
  11. file — a line of people
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. file — a tool
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — tied together
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bound — certain
  21. key — the most important part
  22. file — a document
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bulb — of a plant

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