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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. current — happening now
  3. suit — clothes
  4. drill — a practice
  5. key — in music
  6. chair — a leader
  7. suit — in cards
  8. content — the amount
  9. foot — a measure
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. current — of water
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. drill — the tool
  16. content — happy
  17. current — electric
  18. drill — army training
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. file — a document
  21. key — the most important part
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. suit — to fit
  24. foot — the bottom

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