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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. scale — size or range
  4. key — in music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. key — for a lock
  7. suit — clothes
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. key — the most important part
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. scale — in music
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bound — certain
  17. current — happening now
  18. wake — a trail
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stem — to come from

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