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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. current — of water
  3. pop — music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pop — soda
  7. present — the time now
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. key — for a lock
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. present — there
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rush — hurry
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pop — to visit
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. present — a gift
  21. staff — employees
  22. key — in music
  23. staff — employees
  24. fan — to cool the air

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