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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rash — a series
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — music
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. current — electric
  16. pitch — completely
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rash — hasty
  19. current — happening now
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. branch — a division

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