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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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. content — the amount
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. key — in music
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. firm — a company
  8. spell — magic
  9. current — happening now
  10. spell — letters
  11. content — happy
  12. current — electric
  13. firm — steady
  14. key — the most important part
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. cap — a lid
  19. firm — decided
  20. spell — a short time
  21. cap — of ice
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. cap — a hat

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