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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. key — the most important part
  4. game — wild animals
  5. current — of water
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. current — electric
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. scale — in music
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. current — happening now
  19. game — a match
  20. craft — boats
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. scale — size or range
  23. capital — money
  24. key — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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